A World Divided
by ThePimpKnight
Summary: Fantasy AU. Yang is a member of the town guard. She lives a normal life with her younger sister Ruby, a weaponsmith, in the island town of Patch. A noble lady is due to visit the town, and a mysterious shadow has been seen terrorizing the distant city of Vale. How will these things converge, what is The Beacon and, most importantly, who will save the cookies?
1. Decent Days and Nights

The sun lay cockeyed against a field of uninterrupted dark blue. It was mid-afternoon; three, according to the clock back at the barracks. Or, at least, that's what time it was when she started walking home. Who knew what the hands read now?

Being between most people's lunch and end of day, most of the town of Patch was abandoned. The commercial district always bustled with people, though, regardless of the time. Today was no exception.

She weaved her way through the crowd. The commercial district attracted mostly the mid-class individuals. As such, the women wore dresses which straddled the line between affordable and fine, and the men mostly adorned themselves in practical, working clothes. However, every once in a while the more monetarily endowed would crop up, standing out in the din with their brightly colored opulence.

Having recently since abandoned her armor, she fit in much more with the men than the women. She wore a dark brown jerkin unlaced to reveal both the yellow shirt beneath as well as just enough of her ample bosom. Tight brown trousers clung to her toned hips and fed into a pair of duelist's boots, their tops folded over to reveal the white within.

The buildings themselves reflected the middle-of-the-road sensibility of the area, made mostly of pale brick framed in dark wood, roofed in a combination of shingle and thatch. While they could not compete with the manors of the arrogantly named "palace" district, they possessed a vast numbers advantage. And besides, they were better than the slums, those poor souls.

The dirt road curved gently to the left. She followed it and ducked into a shop just after its apex. The smell of baked goods instantly filled her nose. She breathed deep, taking in the luscious scents. The bakery was sparsely populated, although a few people waited in line.

Behind a glass and wood case stood a portly older man, his white apron stained with what was assumedly butter. He tended to his patrons, wrapping a pleasant loaf of bread in white parchment. Upon her entrance to the establishment, the baker looked up. His expression instantly brightened.

"Greetings, Yang," he said before returning to his work.

"Hey there, Mitch," Yang returned as she stepped out of the doorway, headed for the counter.

"Protecting the good people again today?" he asked without looking up.

"You know it. Although, _protecting_ isn't the word I'd use." Yang said, only slightly complaining. She approached the glass cases, standing off to one side of the line.

"Everything becomes a job eventually, even guard duty." Mused Mitch with a sagely edge.

"You can say that again," agreed Yang.

"Indeed." Mitch shouted through an open door to his right. "Matilda, bring out Yang's order!"

After a few seconds, a small brunette girl, no older than twelve, her hair in buns, appeared out of the door. In her hand was a white parchment bag, it's sides stained in spots by grease.

"Hey Mattie," Yang greeted. The girl didn't respond, only nodded her head. She reached across the counter and passed off the bag. Yang grabbed it with her right hand. With the other, she deposited a few coins in Matilda's open palm. Again, Matilda nodded before disappearing through the same door which she entered.

Mitch spoke without looking up from his work. "We were out of the usual. I hope you don't mind."

"Really?" Yang peered inside the bag, unable to hide her slight scowl at its contents. "It'll be fine. She might not even notice."

"That's what I thought." Mitch smiled. "Give your regards to my sister."

"And mine to your wife." Yang bowed her head as if tipping an imaginary hat before exiting the establishment. She turned right, heading home.

The house she shared with her sister lay on the outskirts of the commercial district, so there were few people in the streets around it. The home was a stout two story building, just like most of the houses in the area. Columns of dark smoke rose from the trifecta of chimneys. This was about as ritzy as the commercial district got.

Yang entered through the front door. Her arrival was betrayed by a ringing bell above the jam. The immediate interior was plain and efficient. Wider than it was long, the prominent feature was a bar extending from the west wall, behind which gaped a wide doorway. A light breeze blew through the door, carrying a certain heat and the smell of burning coals. The back doors were open.

At the sound of the bell, a small gray and white Corgi jogged out from the entrance behind the bar, pendant on his collar jangling as his short legs bound along. He gave a cute little _ruff!_ and stood up on his haunches, placing his paws against Yang's knee. She bent down and messed with the fur on his head.

"Hey there, Zwei," she cooed, straightening. The dog planted all four paws back on the ground, but continued to pant and gaze up at his master. Yang called into the building. "Honey, I'm home!"

A small, impatient voice answered her from somewhere inside. "I'm kinda busy..."

Yang walked over to the bar. "I bought you something." She placed the white bag down on the wood.

She smiled as she heard the rapid approach of footsteps. A girl burst through the doorway, traveling at almost inhuman speeds. She wore a short, frilly black dress, skirt hemmed in red, dark stockings, and knee-high black boots. Keeping all of this in place was an old leather apron, scorched from years of use. Behind her trailed a hooded cloak, dazzling red and immaculate.

Stopping behind the bar, the girl giddily bounced up and down, short-cut deep red hair flopping about.

"Ooh, what is it-what is it-what is it, lemme see-lemme see!" She spoke at a blazing rate with barely contained excitement. Without gaining permission she swiped at the white bag. However, Yang was quicker, snatching it away at the last moment. The girl shot her an accusatory look. "Hey!"

"What did I say about wearing your cloak in the forge?" Yang said like a mother lecturing her child.

"That it'll catch on fire and then I'll catch on fire and that's bad," Ruby said, dejectedly lowering her silver eyes.

"Take it off," Yang commanded gently.

"But—" The younger girl began to protest.

"Ruby..." Persisted yang.

"Alright, fine." Ruby removed her cloak and handed it to her older sister. Yang extended the bag in exchange. She didn't even have time to complete her motion before Ruby grabbed it. Her excitement returned as she looked inside. She extracted the treasure, a tan cookie dotted with midnight purple pockets of goodness. She brought it up to her open mouth about to take a bite, but paused at the last moment and pulled it away, closing her teeth with a _snap_. She eyed the disk curiously. "Raisin?" Ruby gave her sister another accusatory glance.

"They were out of chocolate chip, sorry," Yang said with an innocent shrug. She placed the cloak on a peg protruding from the wall just ahead of and high above the bar.

"It'll have to do." Ruby sighed as she downed the entire confectionery in one bite. Yang wondered why it mattered what was in the thing if she didn't taste it in the first place. Ruby replaced the bag on the bar, but not before extracting another cookie. It met the same fate as the first.

"Are you working on something?" Yang asked.

Ruby's eyes lit up. "Come on, I'll show you!" She ran around and took Yang's wrist in both hands, dragging the blonde along with her.

"Okay, okay, I'm coming! Sheesh."

Ruby released her sister as they both entered through the doorway behind the bar. This was the forge. A large stone fire pit dominated the center of the room. Orange flecks and smoke emanated from it. Most of the latter made it out of the building through either the large open window in the back wall or the chimney built into the pit's left end. In front of it sat a long quenching trough.

On the west wall was a furnace, used for more intense heating. It had it's own separate chimney. Immediately right of the furnace sat an anvil, a metal hammer atop it. Along the same wall were pegs for hanging up various tools, but only some were occupied. The rest littered the various work spaces. Ruby was many things, but not organized.

The younger girl trotted into the large hot room, over to a work bench near the forge. Yang followed, albeit at a more moderate pace. Ruby picked up a large curved blade and displayed it proudly to her sister, holding it until she was within easy talking distance.

"That's what you wanted to show me?" Yang raised an eyebrow. "A scythe?"

"Not just any scythe, a combat scythe!" Ruby exclaimed.

"A what now?" Yang was not any less confused.

"A _combat scythe_," Ruby embellished for emphasis. "I forged this scythe blade and I'm gonna mount it on a spear haft. It'll be a fast and brutal cutting weapon. I'm even thinking of attaching a crossbow to the middle for ranged attacks. It's, like, the ultimate weapon!" Ruby spoke loudly as she gushed over her brilliant idea.

Yang considered this for a moment. "...That's ridiculous." She determined. Ruby deflated.

"You don't like it?"

"I like the scythe part, it's the crossbow I'm not so sure about. It'd be too heavy. Without that, though, it's basically a big axe." Yang explained. Her sister did not regain her chipper disposition. "I didn't say it's a bad idea, it just needs some work. Trust me, I've been around weapons my entire life."

"So have I," Ruby argued half-heartedly.

"Yes, so have you." Yang messed up Ruby's hair, much like she did with Zwei. The redhead fought back, attempting to bat Yang's hand away.

"Hey, cut it out!" She complained. Yang took her hand away with a chuckle. Ruby quickly put her hair back with only metered success.

"Did you make any progress on that order for Lord what's-his-face?" Yang continued the conversation with a new subject.

"Schnee," Ruby corrected. "Yeah, that's done," she said frankly.

"Really? Wow, that was fast." Commented Yang.

Ruby led her sister around to the far side of the forge, talking as they went.

"Well, he didn't ask for anything too complicated, thankfully," said Ruby.

They two of them went through a door. This was the storage room, a separate area where all of the orders and excess weapons were stored. Well insulated to keep the wares safe from the heat, it was actually cold inside.

The weapon in question hang high up on the wall.

"Good. God." Yang breathed as she gaze upon the sword. Its immaculate, polished blade started quite broad at the slim, gold crescent crossguard, but quickly tapered to a needle point. The aforementioned crossguard was inscribed with runic symbols which appeared to form words in some dead language. The blackened leather hilt, formed fatter in the middle to fit a hand, was long enough to easily fit two hands on and still have space left over. Completing the piece, the teardrop pommel was of the same material as the guard and bore the Lord's sigil, a simple snowflake.

"Ruby," Yang wondered, "it's beautiful." She removed the sword from its perch, gently testing it in her hands. Perfectly balanced and light as a feather.

"Thanks," Ruby said, her cheeks acquiring an ever-so pale pink shade. "I'm just waiting on the tanner to finish the scabbard, then I'll put the finishing touches on it and present it to Lady Weiss when she arrives. A perfect gift for her father." Ruby made no attempt to veil her pride in her work, nor should she have. It was a wonderful work of art, undoubtedly destined for display, not the fields of battle.

Yang would have loved to revel in her sister's creation, but at the mention of Lady Ice Queen, all she could do was scoff. "Thanks for reminding me of that." Yang put the sword back where she found it and left the room, Ruby in tow.

"Aren't you excited? There's a lady coming to visit!"

"I might be if I weren't assigned to her personal guard." Yang scowl.

"But that's such a great honor," reasoned Ruby.

"Maybe so, but I'm not looking forward to babysitting her." Yang said as the two young women exited the forge.

"Come on, it can't be _that_ bad."

"Ruby, my years as a soldier have taught me to trust my gut." The two of them walked briefly through the storefront and through a doorway in the northeast corner. "My gut says it's gonna suck, royally."

"Well, your gut is stupid," Ruby said.

They were now in the dining room, a small square space designed for functionality and little else. In the middle of the room was the table, long enough to seat six comfortably. It sported the appropriate amount of chairs. One of Ruby's hammers rested on it. An opening in the west wall allowed entrance to the kitchen. However, Yang was destined for the stairs ascending the north wall.

Yang began to climb the stairs. "You wanna take my place?"

Ruby paused at the bottom of the stairs. "Not really."

"Okay then." Yang stopped about halfway, craning her head back when she realized Ruby was not following. "You coming?"

"In a little. I need to clean the workshop... and then myself." Ruby said.

"You want some help?" Yang offered.

"You've been working all day, Yang. Go do whatever it is you're gonna do. I can handle myself."

"Alright, then. I'll keep the bathwater warm for you." Yang returned her gaze forward and continued to walk. She could argue that Ruby has also been working all day, but she knew nothing would change her stubborn little mind after it had been made up. So, Yang made herself content with allowing her sister to finish up.

At the top of the stairs, she as greeted with a long narrow hallway dotted with open doors. She went through the one immediately to her left; the washroom with a long wooden tub and little else. She closed the door. Wasting no time, Yang lit the fire beneath the tub with some red powder, a form of Dust energy propellant. Only then did she realize the basin was empty.

"Water, Yang. That might help." She chastised herself

Yang gave several hefty pumps to the tap. Before long, clean water began to flow through pipes and into the tub, assisted by a bit of Dust—a naturally occurring energy source—and a lot of ingenuity. Indoor plumbing, a recent technological breakthrough imported from Atlas. Recent, as in she had just been born when the sewers came under construction. Yang remembered not a time before running water, and from the tales she heard, she didn't want to.

She began to unlace the rest of her jerkin. After a long day walking the streets, a nice warm bath was exactly what she needed.

…

Night fell over the tranquil streets of the city of Vale. A solemn crescent moon rose above the stoic battlements of the castle keep, a blunt reminder of the dangers which lay outside the stone walls. Inside was safe, however. Inside was a sprawling metropolis, a center of trade and culture, the capital of a kingdom of the same name.

At this time of night, the roads lay mostly abandoned, with only a few stragglers hurrying on their ways home. One such latecomer was a young woman, around twenty years of age, completely human except for the goat horns spiraling from within her thick blonde hair. She represented a fine example of what was called a faunus, a separate and independent race of humanoids which inhabited the kingdoms of Remnant.

The girl hurried along, none too keen on being caught out at night. Curse that blasted inn keeper for stringing her out so long. It's not like many people eat dinner after dark, anyway. Why did he need an extra waitress for the customers he didn't have?

Well, all that was in the past, now. What mattered was getting home. To that effect, the faunus girl picked up the pace. Her heart leapt every time she exited the light of a street lamp. Lechers abound after the fall of the sun, being both female and faunus only worsened her odds.

No, mustn't think like that. Negative thinking only brings about bad luck. At least, that's what she told herself as she rounded a right-hand corner. No amount of positive thinking could prepare her for what lay in wait.

Immediately around the bend, perfectly between two lights, loomed the dark figure of a man, tall and broad, a sword clutched in his grasp. The girl stopped in her tracks, eyes filling with horror. She took a step back.

"I've been following you for a while," menaced the man. He stepped into the light. He was bald and ugly. A poorly stitched scar ran diagonally down his smooth head and through his blind right eye, as if he'd taken an axe. He sneered at the girl with malicious intent.

"No, stay back," the girl begged. She took another step in retreat, but missed her footing. She fell onto her rump with a soft thud. Now helpless, all she could do was sit and watch as the man approached.

"You know, I was never really in to your breed of women, but I might make an exception." He knelt down so they were on almost even levels. "You're the prettiest goat I've ever seen."

"Please, don't hurt me!" The faunus girl pleaded.

"Hurt?" The man stood up. "No, this shouldn't hurt one bit."

The man reached toward her with his open hand. The girl closed her eyes and shielded her face, bracing for whatever would come. However, the only stimulus which greeted her was a bloodcurdling scream from the man. She opened her eyes, which were immediately drawn to the source of his pain. A small but sharp crossbow bolt stuck through the front of his left shin, dripping with blood.

"What the _fuck!_" He spun around looking for his attacker. From seemingly out of nowhere, a black shadow dropped down between the lights. It was formless, almost inhuman in appearance.

"Who the hell are you?" The man shouted at the Shadow. The new figure did not respond, but instead drew a short sword from its back. "Oh, is that how you wanna play it? Come here!"

The man limped at a brisk pace toward the Shadow. It did not try to intercept, or move at all, only stood and waited. Fueled by alcohol and bloodlust, the man charged in blindly, incapable to see his folly.

He made it within striking distance of his target. Stepping fully out of the light, he swung sloppily downward. What happened next was almost too fast for the faunus girl to see from where she watched on the ground. The Shadow slid to its left, avoiding the blow. In the same motion it struck diagonally upward, drawing its blade slowly across the man's torso. After a few, agonizing seconds the dark blade cleared the man's body, flicking blood onto the walls.

No sound accompanied his fall. The man did not cry out as the blade dug into his flesh, nor when he collapsed to his knees. Blood leaked profuse from the deep gash in his body. Death was a certainty, but the shadow figure had not finished it. It flipped its blade point down and stabbed behind its back. Appalled at the sight of murder, the faunus girl closed her eyes. The sword pierced clean through the man's chest, poking a hole in his heart. The Shadow removed the weapon and the man completed his forward fall, now dead for sure.

When all sound had ceased, the faunus girl opened her eyes. The man lay on his front, immobile. The Shadow was gone, and she was alive. Who was that? What just happened? Was it all a dream? She decided not to stick around and find out. The faunus girl crossed the street and ran full speed away from the scene. Tonight seemed like a good night to take the long way home.

Perched on a nearby rooftop, the Shadow kept itself concealed behind a thin sliver of moonlight. It watched the faunus girl run, and continued to do so until she rounded a corner. Satisfied she was safe, the Shadow ran back along the roof. In its wake, two black ribbons briefly snaked through the moonlight.


	2. Whatcha Gonna Do?

A few days later, Yang was once again on the beat, her usual early morning shift. Although, not at the moment, however. This was her favorite time of day, lunch. She sat in the guard barracks, a long and narrow stone and wood building, dimly lit and just a bit dank. A few other guards populated the many round tables dotting the interior, but the space was mostly empty, for the time being.

As a requirement of being on duty, Yang wore her armor. She didn't particularly dislike it, though. The suit consisted of a light, segmented breastplate atop a full maille shirt, as well as plate-fronted greaves, schynbalds, and brown leather boots. Covering all this was a white tabard trimmed in gold, her employer's royal sigil in the middle, strapped down with a brown belt, lower half separated at the middle and sides for ease of movement. Her sword, another requirement, sat propped up against the table in it's leather scabbard.

All this regiment didn't stop yang from putting her own personal flare to the ensemble, however. She wore an orange scarf with her own sigil wrapped loosely around her neck. Her gauntlets were perhaps the most unique pieces. They were intricately crafted in the finest of polished steel, the cuffs stamped with both her's and Ruby's symbols. The fingers were scalloped to tear flesh and shred clothing. Atop each hand protruded a stubby barrel for channeling her Semblance through. These were her primary weapons.

Absently, Yang took a sip from her cup. Or, at least, she tried to. No liquid met her lips. She inspected to cup to see that is was indeed empty. Just as well, because a look at the clock revealed the time; 10:30, time to get back to it.

Putting her cup down with a bang, as if making a statement, Yang rose from her seat. The other guards looked to her briefly. They were dressed similarly, except their tabards were green trimmed in black, denoting them of lower rank.

Yang buckled her sword to her belt and walked over to a long table at the head of the room. It played host to several varieties of fruit and pastry. She picked out a fritter for the road. As she did, two guards entered the barracks. Yang paid them no mind until they sat down and began to talk.

"Hey, did you hear the news from Vale city?" One asked.

"No, what?" Replied the other.

Yang began to very obviously listen in. She hadn't heard the news either.

"There was another sighting of the Shadow," remarked the first guard.

"Again? That's twice in as many weeks," commented the second.

Yang took a bite of her pastry. Stories of the Shadow had been circulating for almost a year, now, but the incidents were never before this frequent.

"I know, it must be getting bold, or desperate," said the first.

"What did it do this time?" Inquired the second guard.

"Same as last time, really. Some faunus girl was being attacked and the Shadow intervened; dropped in from out of nowhere and killed the poor bastard."

"Good ridance, I say. Any man who would threaten an innocent girl, faunus or no, deserves his punishment."

"But, cold-blooded murder? As if the faunus don't have enough problems."

"Hey, if this Shadow wants to do our job for us, fine by me."

"Yeah, I heard that."

As much as Yang would have liked to listen further to rumors of the outside, the call of duty beckoned. From behind her, a tentative and somewhat high-pitched male voice called.

"Uh... boss?" It said with a stammer.

Yang smiled before turning. "Hey, Jaune. What's up?"

The scraggly blonde boy hesitated. He had a handsome face, if not a little bit boyish. He wore the same black and green armor as the other, standard guards, but as a member of Yang's personal squad reported directly to her.

"Um, just another case file for you." Jaune handed Yang a few pieces of paper clipped together.

"What is it this time?" Yang let Jaune out of the barracks, flipping through the sheets.

"Robbery, the general merchandiser," Jaune said simply.

"Not Mr. Raffard," Yang breathed with concern.

"I know, it's awful, isn't it?" Jaune agreed. Yang nodded her head.

"And the captain wants _us_ on this?" She inquired, already knowing the answer.

"He asked for you by name, something about your relation with the locals." Jaune said.

"I thought so. Come on, Jaune." She picked up her pace and turned right down an alley.

"Where are we going?" Jaune jogged a few steps to catch up with her.

"To the scene of the crime,"

The two of them arrived shortly. It was not a long walk. There were a few other guards at the scene, including one other officer, denoted by his armor, same as Yang's minus her few personal flairs. The area had been cordoned off. Passersby gave it a few curious looks, but did not intrude. The owner of the stop, a kindly old man, stood near the door speaking to a couple guards.

Yeah, this was _definitely_ a robbery. Both front windows had been smashed, the wood around the frames splintered and damaged. The inside had been ransacked, no cabinet or shelf overlooked. It was a mess.

Yang approached one of the present guards, who was clearly trying to look busy.

"Hannigan," she called his name. "Fill me in."

"There's not a whole lot to say, really," Hannigan admitted. "Happened about an hour ago. Perps came and went while the shopkeep was out, took pretty much everything. Standard stuff."

"Any leads?"

"Not yet. We've been asking around but no one seems to have noticed anything."

"Thanks, Hannigan." Yang waved as she turned around.

"Sir," Hannigan nodded acknowledgment.

Yang approached Mr. Raffard with Jaune right behind. At the sight of her, the man waved.

"Yang!" He called. The two guards talking to him dispersed as their higher-up approached.

"Hey, Mr. Raffard, how's it going?" Yang waved back.

"Not well, unfortunately," replied Mr. Raffard.

"Oh, right... sorry." Yang awkwardly scratched the back of her head. "So, anything you can tell me?"

"I'm sorry, but, no. I found it like this and immediately contacted a guard."

"Have the investigators been here yet?"

"If they were the guys poking around in funny hats, then yes."

"Yeah, that was them." Yang rolled her eyes. If anything on the planet were more useless than the investigators, Yang had not yet encountered it. "And you say you were out when this went down?"

"Yeah, I went to get lunch at the inn with my daughter. When I came back, everything was gone." Mr. Raffard said with a solemn look.

"I'm sorry this happened to you, Mr. Raffard, but I promise you we'll do everything in our power to bring these guys to justice." Yang said with a comforting hand on the old man's shoulder.

"Thanks, Yang," Raffard accepted gently.

"Don't mention it." She dropped her hand. "Do you mind if I have a look around."

"Of course," granted Raffard.

Yang turned away and began to inspect the scene. She was immediately drawn to a small section of ground cordoned off by four yellow flags. It had rained recently and the ground was still soft. One of the perpetrators left a footprint. It looked human by all accounts, except for little holes above each toe. Yang knelt down to get a closer look.

"Hey, Jaune. Take a look at this," she said. The boy got down on one knee beside her. "What does that look like to you?" She pointed at the holes.

"Almost like..." Jaune considered. "Like a paw print from a dog or something, the little divots their claws make."

"Yeah, that's what I thought, too." Yang stood.

The next most obvious place to look was the broken windows. Yang moved to the rightmost. Damage to the sill indicated the thieves broke in with using some sort of blunt instrument, but there was something else, a few other telling marks.

"And here, on the window." Yang pointed out four slashes in the wood.

"Claw marks?" Jaune wondered.

"Yeah, claw marks," confirmed Yang.

"So, whoever did this was a faunus." Jaune said with an air of certainty.

"At least one of them was, anyway."

"You think there's more than one?"

"Look at all the stuff that's missing, Jaune." Yang gestured to the store. "There's no way just one person could have carried all this. It must have been at least three or four guys."

Jaune pondered this for a moment. "I wonder why the faunus didn't wear shoes. Low income, maybe?"

"Maybe, that's a good point. Come on." Yang began to walk away from the crime scene.

"Where are we going now?" Jaune took few brisk steps to catch up.

"The slums," replied Yang simply.

"What? Do you know who did this?"

"Not a clue, but I know someone who might. We're gonna go talk to him."

"But, don't we need a warrant for this kind of thing?" Worried Jaune.

"Not if we're just paying an old friend a visit."

Jaune hesitated, considering the best way to continue. "Are we?"

"Nope." Yang said with a satisfied and slightly malicious smirk. Jaune gulped audibly, but continued to follow. Something told him this might not end well.

The slums, a hideaway for the underprivileged and desolate. While the poor population in Patch was not as great as other comparable towns, it still could not be ignored or understated.

In great contrast to the organization and consistency of the other districts, the slums had no rhyme or reason. Small shacks cluttered the landscape at irregular intervals, clumping together in random plots of land. These houses—if they could even be called that—were made of whatever materials made themselves available: rotten wood, misshapen stone, old thatch, anything and everything which could possible hold a structure together.

And then there were the people. Emaciated, dirty, unemployed, most of them were uneducated and lacked the drive to actually learn. That's not to say everyone fit the mold. Some people were just dealt a poor hand. But by and large, the stereotyping stuck. This was a place where great ideas went to die, where bad men made sure they never had a chance to escape, and it sickened Yang to her very core.

But, no situation is without hope. Although the slums brought out the worst in human and faunus, it also displayed the best. Life here was hard. No one could make it alone. Survival meant cooperation. It didn't matter who you were or where you came from, everyone had a part to play in this broiling and brutal ecosystem. It was one of the only places where human and faunus could truly work together and only be at each others' throats some of the time.

It was this cooperation which drew Yang there. Everyone knew everyone in the slums, or, at the very least knew of someone who did. Most high-ranking guards had a contact in the slums, and Yang was no different. Although _contact_ may be a bit of an undue compliment.

She walked with Jaune through the narrow streets, full of waste and potholes. Messy people in tattered rags shuffled along with them, going in one direction or the next with seemingly no destination in mind. A dog barked. A woman sitting in the mouth of an alley sipped an unknown liquid from a tinted bottle. An old woman begged for change. No one found it in their hearts to donate.

Jaune observed the situation anxiously. He eyes flitted around at every possible movement and his own motions were jittery. To say he felt uneasy would be a grievous understatement. Figures of law and order were not exactly welcome in the slums, and he just so happened to be walking with one of the highest ranked and recognizable officers.

As they passed by the begging old woman, Jaune stopped and dug around in his pocket, a courtesy that Yang notably did not spare. She noticed immediately her ward had stopped, and rounded on him.

"Jaune," she said with authority.

Hastily, the boy extracted a silver coin and tossed it to the woman. She caught the sprig of currency and hid it away all in the same motion without even so much as a thank you. That part didn't really bother Jaune, however. Good deeds were their own reward. He rejoined his superior, looking smug. Yang did not approve.

"Congratulations, you just fed a poor old woman's addiction." She commented sarcastically.

"What? How do you know she was an addict?" Jaune tried not to accuse Yang, and was mildly successful.

"Yellow fingernails, scabs on her hands, gaunt cheeks, patchy hair," listed Yang casually. "She's either an addict, or she has malaria but if she were sick then she wouldn't be begging."

"Come on, boss. Can't you just give these people the benefit of the doubt?"

"You're new at this, so I'll allow you a bit of innocence. Trust me, there's no doubt to be given." Yang said frankly. This comment did not sit well with Jaune. He gained an uncharacteristic spurt of confidence as he challenged her opinion.

"I didn't think you could be so intolerant," he cracked.

"It's not the people I hate," clarified Yang. "It's this place. You haven't seen what it can do to people. Ruby and I used to live here, back before I joined the guard. I've seen plenty of good men turned to savages, just by being here. We're lucky we got out when we did."

Jaune immediately regretted opening his big fat mouth. He should have known better.

"You don't talk about your past very much," he observed. Yang did not humor him with a response. She didn't want to talk about it.

The two of them continued to walk for several minutes more before Yang led them into one of the many housing clusters. It was a maze of alleys and doors, but she never once slowed. Jaune marveled at just how coordinated she seemed. He got well and truly lost about twenty minutes ago. He thanked his lucky stars to have such an experienced guide. It's good, then, Yang did not let on she also had no idea where she was going. These housing conglomerates all looked the same on the inside. She only knew which cluster to find and which house to look for.

Just as the search had just started to grow suspiciously long, Yang found her quarry. It was just as old and dilapidated as any other home, but what made it unique was the letter W carved in the top right corner of the door. Yang did this on purpose to mark the home. She realized this put the tenant in danger, but trusted most of the people were not smart enough to pick up on it. Why a _W_? Well, it was supposed to be a _Y_ but she messed up, so it became a _W_.

"This is the place," she said.

Yang gave the door three hard knocks. They waited, but there was no response.

"Do you think he'll answer the door?" Jaune asked.

"No," admitted Yang with a sigh. "I don't know why I even bothered knocking."

She took a step back. A swift kick sent the door open with a slam. Daylight spilled inside. Within it, a human form could just barely be seen scurrying off into a dark corner of the messy, unlit space.

"Go away, _cop_!" A sniveling male voice called. "I didn't do nothin' this time."

"Come out, Billy." Yang didn't have the patience for this. "I'm not here to arrest you, I just have some questions."

"Oh," the voice said. "Oh, that's different. That's... that's different."

A man crawled out of the darkness. Jaune was taken aback by his appearance. Billy was impossibly thin and just a bit on the short side. His pale skin was rough and covered in scabs and lesions. His bloodshot eyes threatened to pop out of his seemingly disproportionate head. His movements were nervous and quick, as if he couldn't pay attention to any one thing for more than a few seconds.

He smiled weakly, revealing what was left of his yellow teeth. This also showed off his two long fangs, betraying him as a faunus.

"So, officer, how've you been?" He said.

"Shut up, we're not friends." Yang shot him down.

"Right, sorry." Billy looked down. "To what do I owe the pleasure, then?"

"A store, Raffard's Merchandise, was robbed in the commercial district about an hour ago. Know anything about it?" Yang started right in with the questions. Odd, this was the first time Jaune had noticed her emotional armor crack. She was uncomfortable.

"I wasn't involved in that, you can't prove anything!" Billy lashed out in defense.

"Calm down, I'm not trying to say you were. As I said, you're not in trouble." Yang proceeded gently. "The owner is a family friend. I'm just trying to track down the thieves."

Billy thought for a little while, squinting his eye sin effort and scratching his head.

"Nope," he said finally. "I'm afraid I don't know nothin' about not store heists. Sorry, Ms. Police officer woman."

"You sure?" Yang asked with a cocked eyebrow.

"Positive." Billy crossed his arms and closed his eyes.

"William Lancasheer," Yang stepped close to the man, within easy grabbing distance. "Wanted for possession of illegal substances, trafficking, larceny, harboring criminals, arson, and those are just the outstanding warrants. I could take you in on any of these. I choose not to because you're useful. You'd do well to remember that."

"I—I—I—" Billy stammered. "I thought you weren't here to arrest me.

"I wasn't, but if you've outlived your usefulness, I may change my mind." In no uncertain terms, Yang laid out the cost of withholding information.

Billy gave a little yip at the threat. He refused to meet her eyes as he spilled his guts.

"I overheard these three guys talking a few days ago, said something about a heist in the in the commercial district." Billy spoke quickly. He couldn't get all the words out fast enough.

"Were any of them faunus?" Yang pressed.

"I think so. ...Yeah, there was definitely one faunus. Some kind of dog, I think."

"Any idea where they could've gone?"

"I know one of the guys, Murray. His place is pretty big. If I was gonna rob somethin', that's where I'd take the stuff."

"I guess there's no chance you'd take us there?" Yang said, knowing the answer already.

"No, they wouldn't like that. I don't think they'd like that." Billy refused.

"I didn't think so." Yang sighed again. "Then draw us a map." Yang stepped back. Billy scampered away, taking refuge at his small, square table. "Jaune."

"What? Oh, right." Jaune shook out the cobwebs from his brain. He extracted a piece of paper, quill pen, and corked ink well from a pouch at his side. He handed them to Billy. The civilian snatched them away and quickly began to scribble on the paper.

About a minute passed as Billy attacked the white sheet with black ink, scrawling down instructions in messy handwriting. When finished he handed it to Yang, an eager look on his face. Yang inspected the map, if it could be called that. _Indecipherable,_ was the word that came to mind. It was nothing but squares, lines, arrows, and a few misspelled words. She thought she could make out a few streets, but that's about it.

With a deep breath and a shake of her head she folded up the map and handed it to Jaune.

"Thank you for your cooperation, Billy. You've been most helpful." She said, trying to sound as genuine as possible.

"Just trying to do my part." Billy smiled.

"Right. Just makes sure you stay on this side of the law," yang cautioned.

"You know me."

Yang scowled as she turned to leave. Jaune followed her out, closing the door behind him. They walked out into the closest street. Jaune gazed at the map with a look of pure confusion.

"Are we really gonna follow this, boss?" He asked in disbelief.

"No." Yang reached out her gauntleted hand and grabbed the closest passerby she could manage. The manhandled young woman looked up at her in terror. "You know a guy named Murray, has a big house?" Yang questioned. The woman nodded. "Know where it is?" The woman nodded again. Yang released her with a push forward. "Take us there."

The woman turned around and stumbled, looking back at the guards in confusion and fear. Yang gestured for her to get moving and she complied. Yang and Jaune followed, the latter suddenly anxious again. He reminded himself to remain always in Yang's good graces.

In what seemed like no time at all, they arrived at the house. Navigating the slums sure was easier when the guide knew where she was going, but Jaune decided to keep this thought to himself.

The three of them stood in front of the abode. It was, indeed, a large space, especially for the slums. It resembled moreso a large warehouse than an actual home. It's size worked against it, though. It was beginning to fall apart. The sagging roof had maybe one good winter left in it.

"This the place?" Yang demanded of her tour guide. The woman nodded. "Good." Yang flipped a gold coin in her direction. She caught it. "Scram."

The woman ran off as quick as her legs could carry her.

"She was really quite," observed Jaune.

"She was scared shitless," Yang corrected. "Come on." She approached the building and Jaune followed.

"How are we gonna get in?" He asked.

"Well, we're gonna try the front first and when that doesn't work we'll think of something." Yang said as they reached the door. She gave the knob a good turn, but it did not open. "Locked, of course. Why can't anything be easy?"

Yang led them around the side of the building. The alley was narrow, and provided no obvious entrance points, save for a small window a few feet above her head.

"Jaune," Yang grabbed the other blonde by the wrist and led him to a spot under the window. "Stand right here."

"Okay," Jaune complied with just a hint of suspicion.

Yang stepped back to look at the window. "Perfect. Hang on to me."

"What?"

And that was all Jaune could say before Yang enacted her plan. She jumped up into the air. When she came down she straddled Jaune's shoulders, one knee bend over each. This sudden weight took the boy by surprise. He stumbled right and then left, struggling to stay upright. Yang grabbed on to his hair and flailed her other arm around like a bull rider.

"Jaune, quit fooling around!" she chastised.

"I'm not trying to," he protested. Jaune grabbed her shins and steadied himself with a firm stomp. "Okay," he took a deep breath, "okay, I'm good."

"I knew you had it in you," Yang joked. "Take me over to the window."

Slowly and with great effort Jaune shuffled over to the window, grunting with each movement.

"Alright, stop," Yang ordered when she was in front of the window.

With the scallops on her gauntlets, Yang picked at the edges of the glass. She worked quickly, but the structure was surprisingly solid. It was hard to get a good grip. Any leverage she managed to acquire slipped once she moved her hand too far. These failures were felt most by Jaune. Every movement agitated the weight on his shoulders.

"Can you hurry it up?" he strained. "You're _really_ heavy."

"I'm gonna forget you just said that," Yang threatened.

"No, it's not you, it's the armor. I'm sure you're light as a feather without it." Even under so much stress, Jaune still found time to be awkward.

"Got it!" Yang called as the glass came loose. "Catch." She dropped the pane. Jaune barely reacted in time to receive the glass.

Yang pulled herself up and over the the sill, disappearing through the window to Jaune's great relief. He heard a barely audible thud as she hit the floor inside. And then, nothing. It was completely silent. Jaune expected her to reach down and pull him up or something. Instead, she vanished entirely with no trace of her continued existence.

"Yang?" Jaune whisper yelled up to the window. No response. He cupped his hands around his mouth. "Yaaaaaang!" Still nothing. "Yaaaaaa—"

"Jaune." Yang's voice startled him. He jumped and look to his right. There was Yang, standing in the alley. "Door's open, come on."

Jaune groaned but complied, running around the side of the building and through the door. He found Yang sneaking inside and did the same.

They were greeted with what looked like a normal living room complete with chairs, a table, an empty shelf on the far end, and even a dying house plant. It was quite nice for a slums home. The only thing extremely out of place were the double doors right of the shelf.

"Hey," Yang whispered and pointed down. Jaune followed her finger. On the floor were three sets of dried muddy footprints, one of which had little dots above the toes. Jaune looked back up at her and she laid her finger across her lips.

Moving as silently as possible in heavy armor, Yang led them toward the doors. They did not latch but instead swung freely, probably for the sake of unloading merchandise. Yang slowly opened the right door and sneaked through. Jaune intercepted it before it had time to swing closed and did the same, easing it back into its resting position once he was fully on the other side.

This was a larger room, about the same size as Ruby's workshop. There were three people inside, all of whom faced away from the door. One sat at a round table sharpening a sword. The other two stood off to the left a bit conversing. One of them was a black Labrador faunus, denoted by the floppy ears on his head. Stacked all around them were the wares from what appeared to be various heists. Yang recognized some pieces for Raffard's place, a plate, a fine lantern, a few candlesticks. This was probably the place, but there was one way to be sure.

Jaune whispered, "So, are we gonna sneak up on them, or—" But as if Yang didn't hear him she stood and shouted.

"Hey!" Her voice echoed through the room. At the sound, all three men turned toward them. "Any of you know a guy named Murray?"

The guy at the table rose from his seat, dire concern painted on his face. Gotcha. Yang called upon her Semblance and punched the air straight ahead. Out from her gauntlet shot a ball of fire. It went off like lightning, striking Murray in the chest with a concussive blast. He flew back into some of the stolen merchandise.

The other two reacted immediately. They drew their weapons—a sword and hand axe, respectively—and charged at her. Now, Yang could have taken them out in the same way as she did Murray, but where's the fun in that?

She waited for them to come to her. They advanced in a staggered formation, with the human out in front. As soon as he was within striking distance, yang hit him with a good crescent kick to the face. This temporarily staggered him, but allowed the faunus to strike.

The faunus brought his sword down at an obtuse angle. Yang blocked it with her left gauntlet and leaned out of the way. With the other she retaliated, punching him hard in the kidney with the aid of her Semblance. She quickly comboed into another low strike with her left gauntlet and then finished him off with a mean right hook. These also gained power from her semblance. He reeled back.

The human was about to recover, but Yang wouldn't let this happen. She spun on him, leveling right a downward backfist into his shoulder. She followed this up immediately with left overhead punch. The final blow of this attack was a right uppercut and Semblance blast. He flew up into the air a few feet and then landed hard on his face, probably breaking a bone in the process.

Now there was just the faunus to deal with. Yang kicked him in the ribs and followed up by jumping into the air with a spinning heel kick. He launched through the air, twirling laterally a few times before coming to a skidding halt on the floor. He did not get up.

By this time, Murray had fully recovered. Enraged both by the surprise attack as well as the defeat of his comrades, Murray charged straight for Yang, forgetting his sword. Not that it would have helped much anyway. Fool.

Yang returned the charge, running brazenly at him. She fired a few shots to open him up. Murray took one in the shoulder and the other to his left thigh. He stoped in his tracks. This was more than long enough for Yang to close the gap. She jumped up high and straightened her body out. In the same motion she caught Murray's chin in the crook of her elbow. Her momentum dragged him right off his feet. They hit the ground at the same time. The back of Murray's head slamed against the floorboards.

Yang recovered immediately from the maneuver. Murray did not. He's out cold. Yang quickly glanced over to the other two combatants. They had suffered a similar fate and were immobile on the ground.

From where he still stood by the doorway, Jaune looked on in sheer awe. He had drawn his sword and shield, but now had no use for them. He holstered both weapons. Although he'd seen it plenty of times before, Yang's fighting left Jaune speechless every time. With skills like that, it's a wonder she wasn't captain of the guard. No one could stop her if she decided to take the position. The worse part, however? She was blatantly not even trying.

Yang looked at Jaune and waved him over. "Good work, Jaune!" She called.

"Thanks, but I really didn't do anything," he called back.

"Sure you did, you got me inside," Yang said when he was within easy earshot.

"I don't really think you needed me for that." There was an awkward pause as both people gazed around the room, unsure of how to proceed. "So, what now?"

Yang answered his question by picking up both the humans. She held one over each shoulder, an arm wrapped around their midsection.

"Now we take these guys back to the barracks. Grab the faunus and come on." Yang made for the doors.

Jaune protested but obeyed. He picked up the faunus in a princess carry and followed his superior officer. Together they made their way through the slums and into friendly territory, eventually gaining help from other guards. That's three outlaws down and another crime solved. Today was a good day for justice.

…

Yang walked through the front door of her house, taking care to make as little noise as possible. She closed it without a sound and proceeded to sneak through the storefront. Having shed her armor, this part was much easier than her previous attempt at stealth.

For all her caution, however, she still could not fool Zwei the dog. He trotted up to her expecting pets and almost woofed to get her attention. Yang reached down and patted his head at the last possible moment, stymieing his need to make noise.

She whispered, "hey there, Zwei. I need you to be quiet for me, okay?" The dog simply looked up at her, unable to speak english. Still, he seemed complacent enough. It would have to do.

Yang tiptoed through the back door and into the workshop, where she immediately spied her prey. Ruby stood in front of the forge, back-to the door, waiting for a piece of metal to heat up. Yang grimaced as she noticed the girl wore her cloak. The _nerve_ of that girl. Whatever, it didn't really matter. She quickened up her pace, going in for the kill.

Closer, closer, and closer still. Ruby had no idea the fate about to befall her. Yang kept silent as a mouse as she crept up. She could hear the fire burning in the forge. The wind blew and ruffled Ruby's cape. Just a few more steps, just a few more.

Bonzai. In one swift motion, Yang leapt up and wrapped her sister in a surprise hug from behind. Ruby gasped as the embrace took hold, pulling her momentarily off balance. Once she got both feet on the ground, Ruby looked around for the source of the brazen attack and found it straight away.

"Yang?" She contemplated. "What are you doing here?"

"The captain let me come home early," Yang explained.

"But it's barely even noon," Ruby commented.

"I know! Isn't it great? Now I get to spend more time with you." Yang pulled her sister in even tighter.

"Not if you strangle me—" Ruby struggled to say.

"Sorry," Yang released her. "I wanted to surprise you."

"Well, you certainly did." Ruby rubbed her neck. "Why'd you get to come home?"

"There was a robbery and I caught the bad guys. The captain was so impressed her gave me the rest of the day off," explained Yang with well-deserved pride.

"That's awful," Ruby said. "I mean, it's great that you caught them, but it's awful that they robbed someone. Who'd they steal from?"

"The general merchandiser."

"Not Mr. Raffard!" Ruby said with a gasp.

"I'm afraid so, but it's okay because I caught them before they could sell any of the stuff." As Yang continued, she took off Ruby's cloak for her. "Everything they stole was returned to him, so it all worked out in the end." Yang said.

"That's good," agreed Ruby.

"So, what are you working on?" Yang asked, peering into the forge as if she understood what was supposed to be inside.

"The cooper needs a few new tools so I'm making the metal bits. Nothing exciting." Ruby said.

"But you're a weapon smith, not a blacksmith," Yang began.

"He paid for them."

"Well, then, I see nothing wrong. Keep doing what you're doing. Need help?"

"No, Yang, I can handle this. You go rest." Ruby declined.

"Oh come on, I'm sure I can do something!" Yang insisted.

"Yang, get out of my workshop."

"But—"

"No buts. You remember what happened last time you tried to help?" Ruby said. Yang internally shuddered as she remembered the day she almost burned the house down.

"Alright," Yang hung her head.

"Hey, I haven't eaten lunch yet. I'll be done with this pretty soon so if you wanted to do something..." Ruby strongly suggested.

"Say no more. Operation Little Sister Lunch is a-go!" Yang saluted and headed for the door.

"Thanks, Sis," Ruby said to her back.

Yang walked out of the workshop with a smile on her face. She was gonna make Ruby the best lunch of her life that week. Yang may not know how to prepare metal, but cooking food she could manage. So what if she'd just had a hard day at work. If it could put a smile on Ruby's face, then it was all worth it. Those moments of happiness, that was what Yang lived for.

**Notes: So, this chapter is a tank. It ended up more than twice as long as I thought it would, and I'm genuinely sorry for that. Feel free to take periodic breaks and all that. I'll try to be more consistent in the future. **


	3. The Black Knight Rises

A dark whoosh. The clamber of feet, inaudible to all but the most perceptive. Late night fell over Vale city. Law abandoned the streets in the absence of sun, but not justice. The Shadow made sure of that.

Formless and swift it ran along rooftops. The windless night provided cover to its motions. Normally, the Shadow would take more care in its choice of route, but this particular night was not one for patrol. Petty justice could wait, just for a little while. There were more important things to attend to.

With constant speed and boundless skill, it traversed up, down, and over the streets and buildings. Time was of the essence. There were only so many hours before light returned to the world. Business must be conducted before then, or else the window will close.

The Shadow dropped down to street level. It swiftly crossed the way, coming to a stop in front of store. Light poured out from the clean windows. The Shadow made sure to stand between the shafts. Inside, a burly faunus walked back and forth, reading a green bound book, stroking his mutton chops thoughtfully.

One hand on its sword, the other knocked on the door. Three harsh rasps. The faunus inside closed his book and answered the door. He opened the sesame and stuck his head out. His expression changed from curious to disappointed.

"Is that _really_ necessary?" he inquired of the Shadow in his deep voice. It did not respond, or move in any way. The faunus sighed. "Never mind." He opened the door fully and turned his back, returning to the building interior. "Blake Belladonna, you are late."

The Shadow stepped for the first time into the light. Although touted as a monster by various propaganda outlets, the Shadow was, in fact, a beautiful girl. Raven hair ran halfway down her back, contrasting perfectly pale skin and golden eyes. She wore a black trench coat, hiding the weapons on her back, save for the hilt sticking up over her shoulder. It also covered her sleeveless black jerkin and long, white cloth shirt. Impossibly tight black pants clung to her toned legs, soft soled boots helped her move with nary a sound. A black bow atop her head completed the ensemble.

"I told you not to call me that, _Tukson_." she said, closing the door behind her.

"Call you what, your name? I'm sorry, would you prefer _The Shadow_?" Tukson joked. Blake sighed.

"No, not really. If only for the negative connotations." She added.

"Hey, you can't break heads and make friends at the same time," Tukson said, absently messing around with a few books. The entire place was covered in tomes of various shapes and sizes. Tukson's Book Trade, home to every book under the sun.

Blake decided to change the subject. "So, what did you find out?"

It was Tukson's turn to sigh. "A whole lot of nothing, unfortunately." He slipped behind the counter and acquired a thick brown file folder. He brought it over to one of the low-rise book displays and laid it on top. He opened it and flipped through a few pages. There must have been a few hundred pieces of paper contained in this one file.

"Is this everything?" Blake asked, turning one of the pages over in her hands.

"Everything. I even dated it from newest to oldest."

Blake turned the paper back around, reading it briefly. "This is from almost a month ago." She observed. "Is there nothing newer?"

"Nothing we didn't already know," said Tukson. "It seems like all the same rumors are being recycled."

"Do you think they're on to us?" Blake put down the page and gave her compatriot a serious look.

"I doubt it," Tukson stretched out the words. "They probably found out some information was leaking, but I don't think any of that could lead back to us."

"Oh," Blake let out the breath she didn't know she was holding. "That's good."

"Maybe, but it doesn't help us. We're no further along than we were. The White Fang is still up to something but—" began Tukson.

"But we don't have the first idea what it is," Blake finished for him. "Brilliant." In a fit of rage, Blake smacked one of the books off the display. It flew across the room and hit the desk with a clatter.

Tukson was stunned. "You must be _pissed_ to abuse a book like that."

"I'm not mad, I'm just," she searched for the right word, "_frustrated._ We can't keep wasting time like this, Tukson." She turned away from him.

Tukson approached slowly. "We're not wasting time, Blake. You're out there every night fighting the good fight, standing up against faunus oppression." He tried to put a hand on her shoulder, but she spun around before he had the chance.

"To what end? Murdering a few would-be criminals won't stop the White Fang. They're out there, and there's nothing we can do about it." Blake braced her palms against a book display.

Tukson hesitated, afraid of incurring her wrath. "Well, there is _one_ thing."

Blake rounded on him. "What?"

Tukson recoiled a bit. "There's someone who might have the info we need. I didn't tell you because it would demolish what little public favor you still have."

"I'm not doing this to make people like me."

"But you can't do this at all if the entire city is out to get you!" Tukson tried to reason with her, but knew it was no use. Blake could be stubborn even at the worst of times.

Blake backed off, giving her partner some space. "That's just a chance I'll have to take. You just said I can't make friends in this line of work."

Tukson let his shoulders relax. As much as he hated to admit it, this could be their biggest break in a long time. While he didn't like the idea of making his friend a public enemy, their two-man crusade couldn't succeed without information. This was a necessary evil.

"Alright. Leif Strong, the name ring any bells?" He began.

"Yes, he's a small time politician with known White Fang connections."

"That's the one. He was in town recently."

"What? Why didn't you tell me?" Blake took a step closer.

"Because I didn't want you going after him. Again, public image, but that doesn't matter anymore. He left on the Low Road a couple hours ago, heading for Vacuo."

"And you think he got in contact with the White Fang contingent here during his stay." Blake put the pieces together for herself.

"Exactly. He'd want to know what's going on with the organization that funded his last campaigns. If you leave now you could catch up to him, _persuade_ him to give us a few pointers." Tukson turned around and began playing with the books on a shelf. "For the record, I don't think attacking a public figure is a good idea, Blake." No response, which is not necessarily strange from her. "Blake?"

Tukson turned around. The store was empty and the door swung free. "Goddammit."

…

The Low Road, a back alley to Vacuo, flanked on both sides by forest and bloodthirsty monsters. Seldom traveled and dangerous, it was a path only taken by those who wished to travel unseen.

It was this very forest which allowed Blake to traverse its length incognito. From tree to tree did she bound, never once betrayed by a rustle or snap. Rooftops and cobbled streets were foreign territory to her, but up here in the trees? This was her home turf. Nowhere did Blake feel as fast. Nowhere did she fell as confident. It's appropriate, then, that the Low Road was considered so dangerous. For now, _she_ was the danger, the monster in the night. She was the Shadow.

Stealth was not the only luxury afforded to her. Large parties move slowly, especially through narrow spaces. Compounding this lack of speed was the tendency toward laziness the rich and corrupt so famously exhibited. Leif Strong most likely traveled by carriage. Speed, sleight, and the ability to engage on her own terms. Nothing could hope to stop her on this mission.

Blake heard the little soiree long before she ever saw it. In a quiet environment, few things are loud or obtrusive as a horse and carriage. Of course, the politician's constant bickering didn't help matters much. Seriously, it's amazing Blake found them first.

"Come on, faster," ordered Leif. "There's only so much night left!" None of his escorts responded. They were probably too sick of him to even acknowledge his presence.

Blake stopped at the edge of the tree line. Up ahead, the party crawled on away from her. She hopped along a few branches to keep up and get a better look. It was a surprisingly small escort. It comprised only six soldiers: five men at arms—two of whom carried shields—and one archer. The driver also appeared to be armed, but he most likely was not a skilled fighter, and so wouldn't be a problem. Really, if there were any threat at all, it was that archer.

Now that the enemy had been assessed, all that remained was to attack. To that end, Blake skimmed the treeline, easily gaining on the carriage. She got ahead of it. Perching on the edge of a branch, concealed by darkness, she readied her pistol crossbow. As a final preparatory note, Blake slide a veil up over her face, covering her from nose down. Only her golden eyes could be seen.

Quickly, the assassin locked in her target. She trained her weapon on him, followed the poor fool for a few feet in anticipation of the perfect shot. The carriage passed beneath her, its occupant and escort completely unaware. Blake shuffled around as it cleared her branch. Then, when all had passed, she initiated her attack.

A single, silent shot escaped her crossbow. It sailed through the night with murderous intent. Without warning it embedded itself in the back of the archer's unarmored head, tip exploding out the front. He fell, dead before his body hit the ground.

All at once the soldiers reacted. They drew weapons and spun about face, ready to take on the new threat. But it had already moved. Immediately after firing her shot Blake maneuvered around to the head of the carriage. She cleared her own sword and dropped down. In a single slice she decapitated the horse. It slumped to the ground spraying blood and pulled the carriage up at an awkward angle. Her heart ached at the death of an animal, but it was necessary to keep the target from escaping.

The soldiers now reacted to the death of the horse. Blake did a few flips backward to put distance between herself and the carriage, removing it as an obstacle. The wind blew. Silhouetted against the moon, Blake removed her trench coat, allowing it to flutter in the breeze with her hair before releasing it into the woods.

The soldiers retaliated. They attacked in standard formation, charging in broken ranks with the shield bearers out in front. Perfect. Blake drew her third weapon, a sickle attached at the base to a long black ribbon, a delicate variation on the chain sickle or kusarigama.

She allowed the enemy to come to her, lashing out as soon as they were in range. She twirled her weapon above her head a few times to pick up momentum and then launched it toward the soldier to her left aiming for his sword hand. He attempted to block with his shield but neglected to analyze the continued momentum of the weapon. It skidded off the barrier and wrapped around his other wrist.

Blake pulled forward, tearing the soldier from his feet. He smacked hard into the back of the other shielded man. They were both now stunned. Blake again twirled her weapon but this time in a downward motion. Every rotation was a strike that hit either one or both of the soldiers. When they had been sufficiently weakened Blake delivered a final blow. Channeling some of her Aura—or energy—into the swing she created a slim shockwave which blew them both away into the forest.

One of the remaining three soldiers reached her. He slashed diagonally with his longsword and made contact, but it was only a ruse. The figure he hit only looked like Blake. It vanished at his strike. This was her Semblance—to create immobile flash clones of herself to take the hit or otherwise distract her opponents.

In this case, it was the latter. Blake used his movement against him, stepping out and around his blade. In a single slide she was behind him, but he was too close for her weapon. Blake settled instead for a spinning kick to the head which planted him on the ground.

The other two men, also armed with swords, attacked in tandem. A broad slash wrapped Blake's chain around the sword of the soldier to her left. The same maneuver ripped it from his hands. She brought the kusarigama around her head and comboed into a lateral strike which hit the other opponent. Without missing a beat she twirled the weapon vertically three times, alternating her targets left-right-left.

A fourth strike embedded the sickle blade into the rightmost soldier's neck. Blake pulled back and ripped it out. The soldier fell, struggling to catch his breath through the hole in his throat. Blake spun around and struck out at the soldier on the left. The force of her attack cut his head clean off.

As his body toppled, the last remaining soldier recovered from his kick to the head. He attempted to slice Blake from behind. Again, she used her Semblance. All he hit was a ghost. Instead, Blake dashed out behind him. Holding her sickle by the haft she buried it in his meat of his shoulder. He cried out in pain and allowed himself to be pulled down by it to one knee.

With one hand, Blake grabbed his blonde hair. With the other she removed the sickle. His breaths were fast and deep. He sweated profusely. Blake pulled his head back. He looked up at her. Their eyes met as she slit his throat.

And that was the end of it. Blake let his body fall to one side. She slipped her sickle through a loop in her belt and wrapped the ribbon around her left arm. She swiftly recovered her coat before advancing on the carriage.

The driver eyed her with sheer terror. His body locked up. He could not move as she walked around right of the carriage and past him. As soon as he was sure she could no longer see him, he bolted off down the road. Just as she predicted, the man was spineless. Here's hoping Mr. Strong followed suit.

Blake stopped in front of a carriage door. With one hand she broke it open, rending the lock clean off. There inside was Leif, dressed in fancy purple silks and jewelry. Copious fat rolls jiggled and folded over one another. Two short, white antlers sprung up from his auburn hair. He was a faunus. Blake couldn't decide if this made targeting him better or worse.

"Now, look here—" The politician began, no doubt in an attempt to talk his way out of the current situation. Blake had zero patience for his silver tongue. She grabbed him by the collar and pulled him out of the carriage. He found himself pinned into the dirt. "Unhand me, rapscallion, or I swear upon all the gods in heaven I'll—"

A swift fist to the jaw shut him up. He didn't try to speak after that, only looked up at his attacker, mortified. This was probably the first time he'd ever been punched.

"Shut up and answer my questions," warned Blake. "How long were you in Vale?" She began. The politician did not respond. She picked him up a few inches and slammed him into the ground.

"Nine days! I was here nine days!" He croaked.

"And did you contact anyone from the White Fang in that time?"

Leif looked up at her with wonder. "I don't know what you're—"

Unbelievable. Even in a time like this he was still trying to save face. Another slam cut him short.

"Yes! Yes, I was in contact with them!"

"Tell me what they're planning!" Blake demanded, her anger growing.

"What? I don't know." Leif cried.

Blake leaned in closer. "Tell me..."

"I don't know, honest!" Leif was shrieking at this point. Blake could see the fear in his eyes. "I don't know what they're up to, any of it. I was just here to check my investments and conduct a little business. I swear, that's all I did!"

Blake sighed. He was probably telling the truth. Pursuing this particular line of interrogation would get her nowhere.

"Alright then, tubby, tell me who runs the White Fang in Vale." She changed the subject to something potentially just as useful.

"What?" Leif stammered. Blake snarled and he found is voice. "I don't know who they are! The White Fang is very secretive. We always meet in dark rooms. I've never even seen their faces. I can tell you there's three of them, two men and a woman, but that's all."

"You sure there isn't anything _else_ you'd like to tell me?" Blake made one more attempt to wrest some information from him.

"My investment portfolio, in the carriage!" Leif had a sudden moment of realization. "There might be something in there."

Blake dragged him to his feet and shoved him back into the carriage.

"Grab it, and be quick," she ordered.

Leif rooted around, stumbling in the dark to see what he was doing. After a few agonizing seconds he found his quarry.

"Here it is." He produced the portfolio, a yellow folder stuffed with papers, and handed it to Blake, who snatched it away. Without another word she began to depart. "Hey!" Leif called after her. "Where are you going? You can't just leave me here! What if the Grimm get me?"

Oh, that would just be horrible, wouldn't it? Imagine if an upstanding citizen like Leif Strong got viciously torn apart by savage beasts. How society would suffer. No, let him rot. If Blake's desertion got him killed—and, let's be honest, _when—_she could count it as a gift to the world.

Running swiftly among the trees, Blake returned to Vale. The sky was just beginning to lighten at this point. The sun would rise soon. That gave her very little time to return to Tukson with the information. But, she was anything if not fast.

Blake covered the distance between the walls and his shop in record time. She dropped down to the streets and approached the door. It was still relatively early in the morning. People weren't quite rousing from their slumber just yet.

Blake gave three hard whacks on the door. There was no response. Tukson was probably also asleep. That just meant she had to wake him up. She pounded on the door harder in the same pattern. Still nothing. After a few seconds more, Blake knocked once again. This time Tukson's voice interrupted.

"Store's closed, come back later!" He called, clearly aggravated.

"Open the damned door, Tukson!" Blake shouted back. The door opened almost instantly.

"Why didn't you say it was you?" Tukson asked. Blake blinked in surprise. She'd never seen him without a shirt before. The awe wore off shortly, however, and she was back to her serious self.

"Don't start with me," she threatened before entering the store. Tukson closed the door behind her.

"So, did you talk to our mutual friend?" He followed her into the back room, a place where they could talk without being interrupted. It was also filled with books, just nowhere near as organized.

"He didn't know anything." Blake threw the portfolio down on Tukson's cluttered desk. "The White Fang leaders meet in secret. They don't use names and hide their faces. But, he did tell me there's three of them, two men and a woman."

"Well, that's something," Tukson said.

"And, he also gave us this." Blake pointed to the folder.

"What is it?" Tukson moved behind the desk and opened it up to rifle through the pages.

"An investment portfolio. He said it might have something useful." Blake explained.

Several seconds passed as Tukson flipped through the papers, skimming each one for relevant information. With each page he read, his expression grew progressively more dire.

"Blake," he began gently. "There's nothing here."

"What?" Blake breathed. "How is that possible?"

"I mean, I haven't looked at everything yet, but this is all pretty barren. Transaction records, interest rates, balance reports, none of it is named or dated, and they don't even have organizational codes. There's no tracking information, no account numbers, nothing."

"No..." whispered Blake.

"Whoever did this covered their tracks, and they did a damn good job of it." Tukson finished. Blake did not speak, only regarded him with wide, defeated eyes. "I'm really sorry, Blake. I thought this might lead to something, but I was wrong. I'm sorry I made you stick your neck out like that. But, I'm sure there will be—"

"Just shut up, Tukson." Blake ordered. "Go back to bed, or something. I don't care." She made for the exit, head turned down.

"Where are you going?" Tukson called after her.

"I don't know."

Blake left the premises, slamming the door so hard she shook a few books from their perches.

**Notes:** **This one came out quite dialogue heavy.** **I seriously debated whether or not the Shadow needed her own chapter, but the exposition here is necessary. Besides, who doesn't love a little Blake?**


	4. Cold as Ice

The big day arrived. The island town of Patch was absolutely abuzz with activity, albeit only from one angle. Anyone sticking to the back streets and markets would have considered the place a ghost town. The roads were clear of people and trash alike in all but one area. Almost everyone, from prince to pauper, had gathered along the central avenue.

Everyone dressed in their best clothes. Children played and waited, giddy with excitement. Vendors went mobile, hawking their wares from trays around their necks. It had been a very long time indeed since the town had seen any sort of dignified foreign visitor, and the people rolled out the red carpet. There would be a parade whether she liked it or not.

But Yang saw none of this. Instead of revel with the citizens, she stood just outside the town gates on the main road. Along with herself, there were four other people, all dressed in the white and gold tabard of the high guard.

Patch itself sat in a very large natural clearing, a plateau in the middle of two big hills. Although mostly level, it did slope somewhat. The entire town was just a little bit downhill. When approaching from the main road, the fortress towers were just barely visible over the walls. This clever position, along with the isolated nature of the island, kept the town safe from those villains who would oppose it.

Out of boredom, Yang kicked a rock across the dirt road. One of the other guards watched it as it tumbled. He, also, was _clearly_ bored out of his skull. Absently, Yang wondered what her sister was up to. Doubtless, Ruby had gathered near the end of the parade. She probably had Lord Schnee's sword with her to present to his daughter. Yang ached to be there with friends and family instead of waiting for some prissy little girl to arrive. But, alas, everyone had a job to do. This one just sucked.

Although, it was a good day for a parade. Yang couldn't decide if this made her current position better or worse. Not a cloud obscured the sky and nary blew the breeze. The air was not humid nor necessarily hot. Therefore, her hair looked _amazing_. Any other day, Yang would have loved being outside, but not this day. Outside meant work, and work meant escort duty.

As if her thoughts could summon trouble, the guard to Yang's right backhanded her shoulder. She looked at him and he pointed to the horizon. As Yang followed his indication, her stomach sank. There, cresting over the hill were the heads of three horses and the top or an ornate white and icy blue carriage.

"Here they come," breathed the soldier who pointed them out.

As the foreign party completed its ascent, the local guards' mouths collectively dropped. Along with the two mounted men—who were most likely high ranking military officers—ten soldiers accompanied the carriage. Accoutered in heavy plate and armed to the teeth, they flanked and covered the rear of the vehicle, stoic helmets obscuring their faces.

"The rich don't do anything halfway, do they?" A guard commented.

"Kinda makes you wonder why we even need to be here," added Yang.

"Well, we're just an honor guard, after all," deduced another guardsman.

"Can it, they might hear us," ordered the oldest among them. At his word, all conversation ceased.

The party approached at a snail's pace. Actually, no. That's an insult to snails. If they traveled this rate the entire way, it would take a year to circle the island. Yang truly hoped this was all for show. Otherwise, she let out a silent prayer for the men forced to walk in full armor.

Finally, after what felt like an agonizing eternity, the party reached the gates. The mounted officer on the right raised an encased fist and the train stopped on a dime. They left a good margin between themselves and the local camp; just enough space to form a proper melee, Yang noted.

"Who is in charge here?" The officer demanded. The oldest town guard stepped forward.

"Aye!" He said with authority. "Lord Captain Viscerious, m'Lord."

"I will speak with him," a female voice from inside the carriage called.

"Very well," the officer acknowledged. "You may approach."

Viscerious complied, walking toward the carriage, right hand resting on his sword hilt. This was a customary way for dignified soldiers to walk, but it gave the situation a tense atmosphere. This was exacerbated by the way the foreign soldiers watched him. Every eye followed his movements as he went around the left flank. Even the horses kept him within their view.

When Viscerious reached the carriage door, two soldiers parted to allow him entry. He stepped up, looking through the grated window. He could barely make out the figure of a young girl in a fine dress. Viscerious waited until he was acknowledged to speak. The lady did not look at him as she spoke.

"Greetings to you," she said simply.

"Lord Captain Viscerious, at your service, my Lady Weiss Schnee." He said with a brief and flourishing bow. "If it pleases you, m'Lady, allow me to be the first to welcome you to the fine town of Patch."

"The pleasure is all mine," Weiss said shortly, bored by his platitudes. "How are the proceedings?"

"The citizens have gathered along the streets and in the square. They are all very eager to meet you. It has been quite some time since our last visit from foreign dignitary."

"That's what I hear." Weiss was not impressed.

"Elite guardsman Yang Xiao Long will lead you down the main avenue and then to the square where you will be greeted by our governor and be presented with wondrous offerings from our local artisans." Viscerious explained further.

"You will not lead the guards yourself?" Inquired Weiss.

"Unfortunately not, m'Lady. I have other business to attend in order to ensure the event goes off without a hitch." Viscerious made a small gesture with his right hand. Most would have seen it as insignificant, but the guards knew better. Yang went over to join him. "You needn't worry. Ms. Xiao Long is our best fighter. You're in good hands with her."

Yang reached the carriage. "I'll keep the riffraff away, make sure no one get's ballsy." She joked. It was only until after it left her lips that she realized _ballsy_ may not have been the best choice of words.

"Humph." Weiss disapproved. "At least she _talks _like a soldier."

Yang hid her offense. What was_ that_ supposed to mean?

Viscerious filled the air before it could grow awkward. "Whenever your ready, you may enter the city, Lady Weiss."

"Very well. Let's get this over with."

Viscerious turned and walked back toward the gate with a gesture high above his head. At almost exactly the same time the gates began to open and the rest of the local guards fell in with the Atlas soldiers, two directly in front and one on each side. Yang chose the position closest to the carriage door. If anything happened, she wanted to be on hand immediately.

As soon as the gates opened, the town of Patch came to life. Music, applause, cheering; all filled the air in a raucous cacophony. The crowd waved and undulated with happiness. Such a warm greeting gave the noble party pause. Doubtless they were told about the parade, but never could they have expected such fanfare. Lady Weiss was more like a returning war hero than a simple dame.

After their initial shock wore off, the mounted officers lead the party into the fray. Citizens threw down roses and brambles as the carriage passed. Yang never understood that gesture. What good does trampling a few dead flowers do? Ruby would hate it. She loved roses.

But time to ponder there was not, for Yang had a job to do. She kept her head on a swivel, inspecting the crowd for anything suspicious. If there were going to be an attack, now would be the best time. Near the gates were the lowest concentrations of both people and soldiers. Any smart assassin would spring his trap the moment the carriage entered.

As time progressed and they made it further into the city, Yang's nerves began to settle. The people were overjoyed, moved to clap and yell their affection for the visiting heiress. These were not enemies. They were not murderers or lechers. No, these were the faces of everyday people, partially isolated from the rest of the world and from the kingdom they so loved. The only threat they imposed on the Lady was a chance of minorly damaged hearing.

The carriage entered the first of two smaller plazas before the main square. This one, dominated by a limestone fountain in the center, acted as a rotunda joining together four streets. The officers guided the party in a thinner snake formation around the right side. This brought the Lady's vehicle closer to the crowd than Yang would have liked. She carefully scanned the crowd, giving each face a stern inspection. She spotted Jaune among the audience. They shared a brief, affirmative nod. Jaune may have been a bit of a klutz, but he was a good soldier. If he said the area was clear, then it was clear.

Yang allowed herself to relax again as soon as they were clear of the plaza. As strange as it may sound, she was actually starting to enjoy herself. Being on the presentation side of a parade wasn't all that bad. Even though the celebration was not for her, Yang liked to believe the people appreciated her presence all the same.

For all this, though, something gnawed away at her, a simple and persistent question she simply could not rid her mind of. She simply must know the answer. Positioning herself closer to the carriage, Yang give two sharp knocks on the door.

"What is it?" Lady Weiss called from inside, yelling over the crowd.

"May I ask you a question, Lady Weiss?" Yang said politely as she could.

"If suppose..." allowed Weiss. That was probably as close to a _yes_ as she could manage.

Yang took a deep breath. "Why are you here?"

"Well, I never!" the Lady huffed.

"No, I mean, why bother with a backwater like Patch?" The blonde clarified. "There's a reason no one comes here. There isn't much to see."

There was a pause before Weiss answered.

"I disagree." She said flatly. "If you must know, my father sent me to inspect some Schnee family holdings in Vale. I realized I'd never been here, so I decided to make a brief stop. Culture, people, architecture, there's plenty to see, Ms. Xiao Long."

Yang considered this for a moment. She hadn't expected such a candid and intelligent answer. Perhaps she misjudged the Lady.

"Do you like the social sciences, m'Lady?" Yang asked. Again, Weiss hesitated.

"Yes, I do." Weiss looked away haughtily. It was tough to tell through the grating, but Yang thought she saw a little blush in her pale cheeks.

The party continued on, advancing through the streets without a hitch. They passed through the second plaza. A square section crossed with eight roads instead of four, it's shape made it much easier to watch. However, the added entrances presented a higher threat of danger. But no, even this area proved free and clear of conflict.

Finally, they reached the main square. This was where the largest crowds gathered. Everywhere Yang looked was wall to wall people. The only clear area was the causeway provided for the parade to walk through. At the far end of the square a stage had been set up. Upon it was a large and regal chair for the Lady to eventually sit in. The town governor along with Lord Captain Viscerious also stood on the elevated platform. So, _this_ is what the Captain meant when he said he had other matters to attend.

Yang looked around the crowd, looking both for any thing suspicious and her fellow guardsmen. She found none of the former, which was good, but few of the latter. While a bit alarming, she understood why the square may be somewhat understaffed. Large events like this tended to empty the back streets. This gave thieves free reign of territory which would otherwise be closed to them. Guards were needed to patrol and keep looting to a minimum. While Yang would have liked to see a thicker escort, she realized the necessity to spread out.

Or, at least, that was probably the reason so few guards populated the square. As Yang turned her gaze upward, she began to have her doubts. The rooftops were empty. That wasn't right. There should be archers on the roofs, she specifically ordered guards on the roofs. She's the leader of this operation. Her soldiers would not disobey her.

Yang looked among the crowd again. Perhaps she was loosing it, but there seemed to be fewer guards than when she last looked. It was hard to tell at a glance, but the number certainly appeared sparse. Something was wrong. Something was _very_ wrong.

Yang began toward the one of the mounted officers to inform him of the situation, and that's when she saw it. Flying through the air as if shot from a sling, a crystal of concentrated red Dust tumbled for the carriage. It would reach its target within fractions of a second. There was no time to think.

"EVERYBODY DOWN!" Yang shouted at the top of her lungs. She shot her Semblance straight up into the air to further gain everyone's attention.

She followed her own instructions, throwing herself face first to the ground. She looked at the carriage. The Dust crystal smashed into its door. A bright flash. A loud noise. And then, nothing.

...

Blind and deaf. The explosion stole her senses. Yang tried to open her eyes only to realize they already were. She could see naught but a sea of white. She flailed around, trying to get a feel for her surroundings, but it was no use. Helpless. The sky fell around her, and she was helpless to do anything about it.

Through her panic, Yang could hear the sounds of battle in the distance. Men shouted and metal clashed, but it was so far away.

Slowly the white in her vision faded, replaced with black and then blurred hints of motion and detail. From outside in the world encroached upon the field of white. This intrusion terrified Yang. She didn't want the white to go away. The white was safe.

But as her senses returned, so too did her state of mind. Although vague, she could make out the figures and colors around her. A green and black streak did battle with a white one. The white streak ran an arming sword through the gut of the green streak, causing a red spray. The white finished its kill and moved on to her, walking with intent, but only made it a few steps before an arrow embedded in its neck. It fell.

The battle. It wasn't far away, but right in front of her face! Instinct kicked in. Yang rose slowly to her feet, straining against the throbbing in her head. The world was still out of focus, but she could at least tell where she was in relation to everything else.

Yang needed to compose herself. She was in Patch, the town square. There was a parade but it got interrupted. Something exploded. There were strange men fighting her guards. What were they guarding, again? Oh God!

The carriage, find the carriage! Yang looked to her right, and then left, and found her quarry. The carriage, or what remained of it, had been blasted about ten feet away. Yang took a slow step toward it, expecting to find a mangled corpse with her blurred vision.

But at that moment, her awareness returned all at once. The sounds of battle slammed against her eardrums. It was loud, so very loud. She could see. Perfect vision flooded her brain with stimuli. There, among the wreckage, was a sight which made her heart both leap and sink at the same time.

The Lady Weiss supported herself on all fours. Her fine pale blue dress was torn in random places. Blood dripped from a deep cut along her left eye. She appeared shaken, but alive.

However, maybe not much longer. A figure appeared from the still fleeing crowd. He wore a white hood and half mask with narrow eye slits to cover his face. His only bit of armor was a steel breastplate emblazoned with a distinctive logo, a bear's head upon three red scratches. The rest of him was clad in simple white cloth.

The man, the _assassin_, stood over the Lady Weiss and raised his sword. This was all it took to snap Yang fully into the moment.

"Lady Weiss!" She called, sprinting full bore toward the action. The assassin faltered at her outburst, and this was all the opportunity she needed. Yang leapt into the air and hit the attacker with a flying kick which could shatter stone. The assassin went flying off, momentarily down.

Yang immediately transitioned to the Lady. Kneeling down, she gently took Weiss by the shoulders.

"Can you stand?" Yang asked frantically. Weiss did not respond, and there was no time to wait. Yang threw the pale girl's arm around her shoulders and helped her to her feet. Weiss groaned in protest, but did not fight back. Yang looked around for an escape route. "Come on, we're going for that alley."

"My sword... the carriage—" Weiss struggled to say.

"We don't have time, now come on! This is easier if you walk with me."

Together, they made for an alley in the west of the square. Yang moved as fast as the heiress would allow in her injured state. Their destination wasn't far, but at this pace it seemed like a million miles.

The crowd had mostly dispersed at this point. Most of the only people left were assassins in battle with guards. Yang's men fought with bravery, but they were outnumbered. The foreign officer who first spoke to the Captain engaged with two assassins. One trapped his blade and the other ran him through. Yang blinked and refocused her gaze forward.

Yang gave a silent prayer for her men. For them, there was no hope. They would all die. But they knew their sacrifice, even before this day came. The duty of a guardsman was first and foremost to protect the innocent. The woman wrapped around her shoulder was one of such. If Yang could save her life, she would.

In an increasingly rare stroke of good luck, the two of them reached the alley. On the other side ran a street. Although the view of that area was limited, it looked clear. Yang made that their new destination. From there they would go to the fortress. Baby steps. Just make it to the street.

Slowly, through the all encompassing drone of battle, the women made way to relative safety away from the square. From outside, the alley looked much longer than it actually was. They approached the other side at a comparatively blistering pace. Yang couldn't believe it. They were about to get away. They were going to make it. Just a few more steps.

However, the God of Death was not so easily satiated. When the escapees were a mere feet from freedom, a white hooded assassin dropped down in front of them. Before Yang could react, he hit them both with a powerful blast of lightning dust.

The women collapsed next to one another. They felt no pain as they hit the ground. Another assassin dropped down at the other end of the alley. Yang tried to move, to fight back, but she could not. The shock running through her body left her paralyzed. A glance revealed Weiss suffered the same fate.

The second assassin approached, drawing his sword. He hovered over the blonde, a menacing sneer along his face. A pair of tusks extended from his teeth. A faunus.

He raised his weapon. Yang begged her limbs to move. Even the slightest action would help. But the current had not left her body. She could not move. Yang closed her eyes. She hoped her soldiers did not blame her. She'd be with them soon.


	5. New Enemies, Newer Friends

The blow did not come. Confused, Yang opened one eye, and then the other. Stuck through the heart of her attacker, a blood soaked blade curved toward the sky. The assassin's looked down upon the instrument in horror a second before it slid out of his chest cavity.

Before he even fell, this new combatant rushed on to the second. The mystery person moved at impossible speeds, so fast Yang did not even see the motion. The only indication of action she received was the sound of metal rending metal. Rose petals fluttered down upon her. Wait, _rose petals_!?

Suddenly, Yang realized she could move again, although her muscles were still quite stiff. She craned her neck around to view her savior, and what she saw filled her simultaneously with rage, gratitude, and worry. The assassin's body lay in two pieces, sliced cleanly at an angle from abdomen to shoulder. And behind him stood Ruby, scythe in hand, back turned, cape fluttering in her wake.

"Ruby?" Yang breathed in confused wonder. Ruby turned and gave her sister a little smirk. This was all it took for Yang to regain her footing. "What are you _doing_ here?"

"I was at the ceremony," Ruby explained simply.

"With your scythe?" Yang raised an eyebrow.

"Look, there are some details of this you don't need to know," Ruby tried to save face.

"God _dammit, _Ruby!" Yang stamped her foot. "Do you have any idea how dangerous this is?"

"I just wanted to make sure you were okay! You know, if anything happened" The younger girl argued.

"Excuse me," interjected a third voice. The sisters turned to see Lady Weiss on her feet, bracing herself against the alley wall. "If your little lover's spat is over, I'd like to get out of here."

"We're sisters!" They corrected in unison. Immediately after, Yang approached the Lady, reaching out her hand.

"Are you alright? Can you move?" She went to grab Weiss's hand, but the heiress slapped it away.

"Don't _touch_ me, I can walk." Weiss pushed off from the wall. She swayed once before steadying her balance. This did not exactly inspire confidence.

"Alright, then on me. Ruby, guard the rear." Yang dolled out orders. As much as she hated to admit it, Ruby was a brilliant fighter, maybe even better than herself. Might as well use her while she's present.

At the mouth of the alley, Yang motioned for the other two to wait. She exited the narrow space and immediately dropped to one knee. She checked right and then left. Confident everything was clear, she signaled for Ruby and Weiss to follow.

Yang lead them down another two alleys, repeating the process. She wanted to put as much distance between them and the battle as possible without wasting too much forward motion. They were now quite a few blocks away. The battle could barely be heard in the distance. At the time nowhere was safe, so this would have to be good enough.

The three of them moved up the street, heading north toward the fortress. That was the objective, just get to the fortress. Everything would be okay once they were behind stone walls and probably also many feet underground.

The two armed women constantly checked the rooftops, although Ruby was only copying her sister. These assassin's liked to constantly drop down from up high. It made sense to look up. They also checked through the windows of every building. To breach and clear each one would take too long. A quick check was all they could manage.

They all continued to move along at a trotting pace, somewhere between a walk and proper jog. There were no enemies and the sounds of conflict did not approach. Indeed, they were the only observable presence in the immediate vicinity. That didn't sit right with Yang. The longer you went without incident, the more likely you were to encounter one. Every soldier knew this.

And, it seems her instincts were not wrong. Commotion sprung from a house up ahead. A guard tumbled through an window. Flechettes of broken glass embedded themselves in his tabard. Three assassins followed him out. One of them stabbed him in the head, just to make sure he wouldn't get up. They noticed the girls almost immediately, and ran to engage the new targets.

"Stay close to me, m'Lady," Yang ordered. She and Ruby met the enemy head on, while Weiss hung back a few feet.

The guards split off with two on Yang. As the only one wearing armor—of an officer, no less—they probably perceived her as the bigger threat, despite the other girl's large weapon. Well, they were right, after all.

They ended up engaging at an almost perfect halfway point between their origins. Yang lashed out at one assassin, leveling a quick double combo at him. He blocked both attacks, but the second was accompanied by a blast from her Semblance. He didn't expect this and stumbled.

She blocked a downward strike from her other opponent with a right crescent kick. Yang planted this foot on the ground and brought her other up for a front toe kick to the stomach. She whipped her foot around and kicked him again, this time higher.

The first attacker came back for a second round. Yang caught his diagonal blow and yanked him into her outstretched fist. While he staggered Yang spun and disarmed him, stabbing beneath his armor as she came around. Killed by his own sword. What a poetic tragedy.

Only one left to go. Yang shot him twice rapidly with her Semblance. With her left hand guarding against possible attack form his sword, she used her right to grab onto his head. Slipping a foot around his ankle she pushed back. The man toppled, and Yang buried his head in the ground. She reeled back and gave him a final blast assisted punch for good measure.

Ruby was also finishing up with her opponent. Unlike her sister, she wanted to avoid killing if at all possible. To this effect, it took her a bit longer to best him, but she eventually did. A good blow over the head with the blunt end of her scythe knocked him out cold.

Unbeknownst to Ruby, a fourth assassin dropped down behind her, doubtless drawn by the loud booms from Yang. He ran at the redhead, sword in the air. Ruby heard his approach and spun to greet him, only to find he'd stopped short. Four icicles protruded from his chest. He slumped to the ground, dead. Behind him stood Weiss, arm outstretched and palm still emitting a cold mist. Her dress glowed briefly from the Dust woven into the fabric. Ruby looked from her, to the man, and back again. Weiss dropped her hand with a disgusted expression.

"I'm not defenseless." She pushed past Ruby and continued on down the street. The sister exchanged befuddled glances before catching up.

"Why didn't you do that five minutes ago?" Yang berated as she retook the lead.

"I had a concussion!" Weiss argued. Yang dropped the topic. She knew full well why the Lady waited until just now to fight back, but couldn't resist an innocent prod.

The road curved right up ahead. Instead of take the turn and possibly funnel back into contested territory, Yang led her companions down yet another alley. This one was longer than those previous. As the three reached about the halfway point of the narrow corridor, the end came into focus. Standing side-to the alley was a pair of enemies. They seemed to be waiting for something. Yang gestured for the others to hold. She moved up on her own, locked in to the targets.

"Yang!" Ruby whispered after her. Yang shushed her and continued on. Two thugs were easy. She could take them down without putting her beloved sister at risk.

She did not pause at the end of the alley. There was no need to assess the situation. Instead, Yang charged headlong toward them. Neither saw or heard her coming until it was too late. Yang smashed her fist into the left assassin, dealt a combo to the right, and smashed the left again with a powerful overhand punch.

Although strong enough to take him down, the recovery time from this move was long. When Yang rounded on the final assassin, he had something in his hand, something that terrified her. A bugle. Yang leveled a punch in his direction, but it was too late. He let out a full volume blast just before her hand collided with his face.

The bugle was so loud, it drowned out all other sound for a few moments after its initial emission. The city was so quiet, it could probably be heard on every corner of the walls. Yang looked back at the two girls still in the alley with dire urgency.

"RUN!" She screamed.

Weiss and Ruby complied before the order had been completed, as if that course of action had already crossed their minds. Yang waited for them to reach her before sprinting along with them.

"Stay with me!" Yang shouted as they moved. "We're still going for the fortress!"

"Doesn't that seem kind of obvious?" Weiss challenged. "I mean it's the biggest building in town and—"

"Weiss, this is not a discussion!" Yang all but shrieked, dropping the Lady's proper title to further emphasize how serious she was.

The three women dashed down the street. Assassins were on them in mere seconds. They sprung up first on the left side of the street, running along the rooftops. The right soon followed. A few even dropped onto the ground behind them. While the assassins were not fast enough to overtake the girls, they could cut off their escape routes.

Left with only one option, Yang led the small company straight ahead. As they ran, more and more assassin's joined the chase until they easily numbered a few dozen. How many of these guys _were_ there?

In a vain attempt to thin their numbers, Yang attempted to fire a few Semblance blasts at them. These proved utterly useless. The ones that didn't miss entirely were easily spotted and dodged. Weiss tried the same thing with her icicles, and got similar results. These were not the urchins Yang was used to fighting. They were trained soldiers, at least somewhat competent in battle. This would not be easy.

The enemy fired back as well. Arrows, crossbow bolts, and even a few sling stones peppered the ground. While mostly inaccurate, a few projectiles did fly true. Ruby spun her scythe to bat away a stone. Weiss created a temporary frozen shield to catch and drop an arrow. Yang's defenses were not so absolute, but she could dodge.

An awkward sort of mobile shootout raged through the streets as both sides exchanged missiles. Every once in a while Yang or Weiss would connect with a shot, but by and large neither end of the conflict had much success. They were simply attempting to return fire in a fear that failing to do so would result in defeat, no matter how unlikely that was.

Yang whipped her head around, trying to get her bearings as she ran at breakneck speeds. Where were they? Camble Street, a stylist, Mr. Raffard's shop, they were in the commercial district! More importantly, this was the right direction. She looked ahead. They were coming up on a familiar through street. It wasn't far now.

"Listen," she called back to her companions. "There's gonna be a little courtyard up ahead. The fortress is just on the other side. If we can make it through there, we're home free."

"Sounds like a plan," agreed Ruby. Not that there were many other choices.

They charged on, entering the short street. This would be the most dangerous part of the chase. While it provided cover from ranged attacks, the structure surrounding the courtyard made it a natural bottleneck. In simple terms, getting in was much easier than making it out.

The women burst into the courtyard, enemy hot on their heels. The route behind them sealed up immediately, but Yang prepared for that. There were still three other possible exits. She led them straight ahead toward the farthest one, as it let out closest to the fort.

They crossed the center of the courtyard with little trouble. The assassin's began to encircle them on the rooftops, but enemies up above posed little threat. Yang couldn't believe it. They were actually about to do this. They would get away.

Almost as soon as this bit of hope crossed her mind, it was dashed. A wall of assassin's dropped down in front of the girls. This was a good spot for an ambush, and the enemy had lain in wait for them. The girls stopped dead in their tracks. Yang spun around to inspect the other exits, but they too were blocked. Assassins controlled every possible path. There was no escape. They were surrounded.

The girls bunched together, back-to-back in a triangular pattern. Deprived of her weapon Weiss improvised, creating a slim rapier blade from ice. She raised it in front of her in a defensive posture. The other two assumed similar stances, ready to protect themselves, to fight.

"Any more bright ideas?" Weiss inquired of Yang.

"Yeah, they all start with you shutting up." Yang bit back.

The assassin's closed in, tightening the circle around their targets. A few projectile attacks flew in from the crowd, but they were deflected. Weiss and Yang both whipped their heads around, trying see everything at once. There had to be a weakness here, a chink in the formation. They just had to find it.

But doing so may be too little, too late. The assassins pulled in closer and closer. They would be within striking distance before long. When this came to blows, it was likely the girls would not put up much of a fight. They were all great fighters, but against such horrible odds not even the best could hope to come out on top.

Yang gritted her teeth. This was it, the moment of her death. If she went out, then the records would show she went out swinging. Legions of these bastards would die before she allowed herself to fall. Let generations to come fear the name Yang Xiao Long!

From up high to the east, a crossbow bolt found its home in the back of an assassin's head. Yang saw him go down and at first thought it was an incident of friendly fire. However, when she looked for the source of the attack she found not another enemy, but a woman. The newcomer loaded a new bolt in her crossbow and fired again, finding another target. Her bronze armor gleamed in the sunlight, and hair, red as fire, flowed in long a ponytail down her back.

This archer was not the only new arrival. Two more people burst in from the eastern street level entrance. One, a ginger-haired woman, wore a white gambeson and wildly swung a polehammer as if it weighed nothing at all. The other, a man garbed in some sort of exotic green tailcoat, brandished twin repeating pistol crossbows with short blades on the ends. They engaged with the assassins, fighting like a well-coordinated team.

"CHARGE!" Yang ordered. She, along with Ruby and Weiss, rushed headlong into battle.

The crossbow wielding man fought with speed and precision. With his left weapon he shot an enemy immediately in that direction. He blocked a high attack from the other side with one crossbow and stabbed low with the other, blade cutting clean through the assassin's metal armor.

The man transitioned left again, this time staggering his vertical attacks like a windmill. The first averted his opponent's block. The second sliced the faunus's throat.

Three foes rushed in tandem from the front. He raised both crossbows and fired simultaneously, taking out the left and right enemy. The remaining center reached him and sliced down. He crossed his bayonets to block. Closing them like a pair of scissors he deflected the enemy blade. In the same motion he brought his arms around and stabbed upward. Both blades punctured the assassin's ribs. The man quickly extracted his weapons and stood wide, shooting enemies who came at him on either side.

...

In great contrast to her compatriot, the orange-haired fighter swung her polehammer like a madwoman. She twirled it in a tight loop in front of her, three complete rotations for three brutal kills. On the fourth, she struck out laterally. Her target cartwheeled into another person.

The woman comboed this into a spin and struck down at an enemy on her left. He blocked, supporting his blade with a hand on the back edge. The woman dragged her hammer back, hooking the sword out of the way, and quickly jabbed forward to open him up. She struck him across the face and then passed her hammer around her back to hit a man behind her. Completing the motion, she smacked a third foe before returning to a normal grip. She twirled the hammer for effect and struck down twice, taking care of another two assassins.

...

An assassin tried to strike down at Weiss .When she blocked, a giant snowflake sprung up in front of her. It took the blow and repulsed his arm. Weiss struck him. She followed through all the way to the ground. Jagged frozen stalagmites snaked out from the tip of her blade. The attack traveled straight ahead and impaled five men.

One assassin thought he would be smart and attack while she was down low, but Weiss anticipated his blow. She stood and locked blades with him. Seeing he was weak in the bind, she slid her blade forward. It cleanly slipped past his defenses and between his ribs.

Weiss extracted her weapon and immediately transitioned to an enemy at her left. She sliced downward and the jabbed him three times, the tip of her blade lashing out like a serpent. Another opponent came from the same direction. She slashed at him; Dust trailed her sword. When she struck icicles flew out in an arc. Six missiles and seven kills, counting the guy her blade cut.

...

From where she stood on her perch, the fire-haired woman let loose a steady stream of bolts. Every shot rang true, every point found a head. She prioritized targets closest to her allies, as they presented the biggest threat. Her elevated position allowed an unprecedented view of the battle below. While still hopelessly outnumbered, the six of them were thinning the enemy numbers drastically. This scenario may just turn around to victory.

The woman continued to rain down death upon her fodder, but it didn't take long for the enemy to catch on. Two assassins scaled the building on either side. They squared off just long enough for her to draw the sword at her side, an elegant blade of steel tempered gold edged a core of red fired metal.

The assassins charged at her. The one on the left was just a fraction of a second faster. The woman blocked his overhead blow and kicked the other man off the roof in the same motion. She disengaged from her bind with the left assassin and sliced upward before he had a chance to recover. Her blade cut the artery in his armpit. He slumped over and slid off the roof to bleed out on the ground.

It was only then did the woman realize, in her haste to draw a suitable weapon, she'd dropped her crossbow. It lay below her in the street. Since dropping into the mob to retrieve it would take too much time, she took the round bronze shield from her back and joined the fray.

Her first attack was to drop down in an unsuspecting foe. Her blade entered his head and he collapsed, breaking her fall. From her crouched position she tossed her shield. It pinged off three separate enemies, its sharp edge bit into their flesh. As if controlled by some supernatural force it curved in the air and returned to her after the third kill.

The woman rounded on an aggressor to her left. She smacked him first with her shield and then stabbed his throat. She parried a strike from an assassin directly behind the first one. His sword deflected harmlessly to his right. Her own blade bit into his shoulder with a magnificent spray of blood.

She looked to her right, toward the rest of the battle, and locked on to one enemy in particular. He was different than the others, taller and broader, clearly their leader. He wore no hood but still concealed his chiseled features with a mask. Nothing but a sleeveless, high-collared white shirt protected hi torso. What set him apart most of all was his weapon, a long and heavy zweihander sword.

He dragged its point on the ground as he walked menacingly for the fire-haired woman. She narrowed her green eyes and engaged. She ran at him. His greater reach allowed him to open the bout with a diagonal strike. The woman blocked and attempted an x-shaped combo to counter, but both were dodged. The assassin leader struck low once, then spun around and came again at the same angle. The woman dodged and came back with a high stab. He blocked and slid easily into a pommel strike. The woman reeled back as the blunt instrument drummed against her forehead.

The leader heaved a heavy blow straight down. The woman dodged and his blade hit the ground with enough force to chip the cobblestone. She hit him twice with horizontal attacks. He flinched in pain, but received no damage. His Aura was powerful enough to protect him from harm. The two of them, then, were on a similar level.

The man swung around and she ducked underneath his blade. Slipping around again she rose up and spun, striking three times. Again, the leader felt the blows but took no damage. He shuffled back and faced her to regain his composure.

He took a step forward and thrust low. The woman used his weapon as a springboard, pushing off it with one foot. The other leg she bent and smashed her knee into his face. He stumbled back and spun around into a powerful vertical slice. Once again, the woman avoided the attack and retorted with her own, this time stabbing thrice and the slamming her shield into his chest.

For all his strength and reach, the leader simply could not match her speed. True, their spirits were on the same plain, but in terms of skill they were light years apart. There was no hope for his victory, and he knew it.

Death a certainty and victory a dream, the leader took the only remaining course of action. He fled. Caring not for the assassins which stood in his way, he bolted for the west entrance to the courtyard.

"RETREAT!" He shouted at the top of his lungs in a thick accent. "Live another day!"

At the sound of his voice, the fighting stopped almost instantly. The assassins withdrew from combat and instead focused on escape. Most filtered out of the available street level exits but a fair amount clambered over the buildings. It's a good thing they left, too, because there were not many of them remaining. Doubtless, the battle would have been over in a few minutes had it persisted.

"Where are you going?" Yang shouted after them. "I wasn't done!" Fire erupted around her briefly, but was gone as soon as it came.

Within mere seconds, the courtyard emptied. Weiss allowed her ice sword to dissipate. Ruby clumsily fed her scythe through a loop on her back. Long weapons may be good in a fight, but sheathing them could be a chore. It took Yang a bit longer to relax, but eventually she did.

The other three combatants, the newcomers, wasted no time in reaching the entrenched girls. Yang set her shoulders and stepped forward in front of the other two. She didn't want to fight, but also knew nothing about these supposed allies. If it came to blows, she at least wanted to have her defenses ready.

When they two groups converged, Yang opened her mouth to speak but was completely ignored. Instead, the fire-haired woman went straight for the highest class of the bunch

"Lady Weiss, you need to come with us," she said. Yang was almost completely taken aback by her gentle voice. It contrasted brilliantly with her ferocious fighting style.

"Hold on, who are you people?" Weiss questioned, slightly aggravated. She had a good head on her shoulders, to be wary of the newcomers.

"I'm sure you recognize our insignia." The fire-haired woman held a round silver token up to the Lady. Inscribed on it were two axes crossed at the hafts, heads turned outward, woven brambles around the coin's outer edge. Weiss did indeed recognize it, as her expression softened.

"Okay, I'll follow," she nodded.

"Good. There's a healer in town, he's one of us. We'll take you to him, all of you." The fire-haired woman began to walk away with Weiss behind.

"One of who?" Yang stopped them all. They turned to face her and she took a step forward. "Listen, lady, I _don't_ recognize your logo. Now, I've been blown up, shot at, and stabbed at all morning, so you'll excuse me if I don't to trust you!"

"Fair enough," the fire-haired woman agreed after a moment's consideration. "My name is Pyrrha Nikos. These are my friends, Lie Ren and Nora Valkyrie." She gestured to the other man and woman respectively. "We are members of a secret society dedicated to the defense of this land."

"Are you, now?" Yang crossed her arms skeptically. "Alright, which _secret society,_ then?"

Pyrrha smiled. "The Beacon."

**Notes:** **BUM BUM BUM! I don't really have much to say about this one, since it was mostly action and fight choreography (My longest ever continuous fight at the end, there). I understand it probably got a bit monotonous to read. I promise more actual plot development in the next chapter. **


	6. The Badge

Yang and Ruby were both absolutely floored. Their jaws dropped in unison. Pyrrha, a smug look on her face, began to exit the courtyard. Yang tried desperately to process the information just given to her. Given the prowess of these three new faces, it made a modicum of sense, but there's no way. It's just impossible.

Regaining her senses with a shake of her head, Yang realized she was being left behind. She elbowed Ruby, who also shook into reality, and jogged after the departing group. They joined up and spoke as they moved.

"Wait," She said after she caught up. "I thought the Beacon was a myth."

"Well, as you can see, we're quite real," the man known as Ren said.

"I'm not denying all of _you _are real, but the _Beacon_? I'm not so sure." Yang persisted.

"You've seen what we can do, yet you still don't believe?" Questioned Pyrrha. "I thought you would be more open minded."

"Sorry, it's just hard to undo seventeen years of stories. Right, Ruby?" Yang turned to her sister for support.

"I don't know, they _were_ pretty cool..." Ruby said with a wince.

"Oh, don't tell me you believe this crap!" Yang couldn't believe her ears. The betrayal!

"Yang, they saved our lives. The least we can do is hear them out." Ruby reasoned. Despite her reluctance, Yang couldn't deny the logic.

"At least one of you has some sense," Weiss scoffed. Yang frowned. Is it wrong to hit a wounded girl?

"I can assure you, the Beacon is not a myth." Ren said. He showed her his token. Nora did the same a moment after. They were both identical to Pyrrha's. While that didn't really prove anything, it did add some credence to their story.

"Okay, then why save us?" Yang changed the subject. "I mean, I understand saving a noble lady, but why us two? You could have easily dropped in, picked up Lady Weiss, and left."

"We couldn't leave you to die, silly," Nora said in a whimsical tone. Something told Yang this was her natural state of being.

"We don't sacrifice lives," Pyrrha clarified. "Not when we can avoid it, and especially when the White Fang is involved."

At the name of the terrorist organization, Ruby and Yang once again mentally froze in their tracks. The White Fang, a group of extremist faunus bent on dominating the human race. They wanted to bring humanity to the brink of destruction and establish themselves as the dominant majority. They'd been terrorizing mainland Vale for decades, but never once had they set foot on Patch.

"Is that who did this, the White Fang?" Yang asked.

"You didn't recognize the symbol on their armor?" Nora said as if that were common knowledge. Yang gave her a scowl and she shrank a little. "Sorry."

"Yes, it was the White Fang," Pyrrha confirmed. "And, more importantly, they wanted the world to know they did it."

"Hence, the armor," added Ren.

"But why?" Ruby asked.

"Well, my family isn't exactly well liked by the faunus, so that's a start," Weiss answered.

"Please," Pyrrha interjected. "We can talk about this later, I promise, but right now we need to get to the fortress."

That effectively shut everyone up. Yang understood the importance of remaining silent. The enemy could still be out there, after all. Ruby was simply too timid to disobey.

The group, now consisting of six, moved openly through the streets. Despite Pyrrha's well-placed caution, it was more than likely the enemy had abandoned their attack. There couldn't possibly have been many more than those already present in the courtyard, and those left would be scattered and disorganized. There's always the possibility of a regroup, but with their number so thinned any attack would be suicidal. Although, from what Yang had heard, the White Fang wouldn't be opposed to such a brutal tactic.

The barren roads quite disturbed both Yang and Ruby. Patch was not a thriving metropolis by any means, but never had it been this empty. They were on one of the more traveled back roads, and yet there were no people. The shops were all closed. No guard patrols passed by. Even the various stray animals which usually ducked in dark corners were absent. It was a true ghost town. All it needed was a tumble weed.

The constant threat of attack was not their only problem. The constant motion and combat meant the cut dealt to Weiss at the very beginning never had time to scab over properly. It continued to bleed, regularly dripping red globules onto the dirt.

The heiress tried her best to stay strong, but everyone has a limit. For all her strength and character, she could not fight blood loss. She began to slow. Her limbs felt heavy, as if she'd just woken up from a rough night's sleep. Her head throbbed at irregular intervals. She had difficulty lifting her head, and it constantly dipped and bobbed.

Yang was the first to notice this. Working in the field meant exposure to all manner of injury. She knew the symptoms of blood loss.

"Stop," she called. At her beckon, the train ground to a halt. Yang immediately tended to Weiss, taking her gently by the shoulders. "Lady Weiss, are you okay?"

"I'm _fine_," Weiss insisted, shaking off the blonde. She immediately wished she hadn't, for the sudden movement made her light headed. She rubbed her forehead and swayed back and forth as the world spun. Her vision blurred, narrowing to a dark tunnel. Weiss collapsed to her knees.

"Lady Weiss!" Yang shouted. Before she had a chance to, Nora sprung into action, scooping up the heiress in a princess carry.

"I got her, let's go!" Nora said. Pyrrha nodded and they were off.

They sprinted now, desperate to get Weiss the medical attention she needed before it was too late. Nora led, and Yang brought up the rear. In all the commotion, no one thought to treat her wounds. Instead, the only focus was escape. Now they paid for their negligence, and Weiss carried the burden. Yang prayed it was not too late to help her. They all did. If Weiss still died after all that, Yang would kick her ass.

The fortress was not far, but it may as well have been miles away. Weiss was fading fast. She grew progressively weaker in Nora's arms. Her head dipped back repeatedly. Her left arm hung limp. Perhaps most startling of all, her grumpy attitude vanished entirely, replaced by only silence.

The gap between her head bobs grew wider and wider, eventually accompanied by the fluttering of eyes. Tension left her spine and legs.

"Stay with me, m'Lady," Nora pleaded. It was no use. Weiss closed her eyes. Her entire body went limp. "Weiss!"

Ruby rushed up to the front of the line, running parallel with Nora. "Give her to me."

"Can you—" Nora began.

"Just do it!"

Nora did not argue further. Gingerly, she transferred the heiress to Ruby's open arms. Without a moment's hesitation Ruby sped off like an arrow. The only indication of her continued presence was a trail of rose petals heading toward the fortress. Internally, Yang kicked herself.

"Why didn't we do that in the first place?" She said, incredulous. Her joke was not well received.

The absence of the two girls did little to satiate the tension and suspense of the moment. If anything, it exaggerated both points. There was no way to tell if Weiss was alright, if they made it in time. Yang's heart pounded in fear and anticipation.

She kept a close watch on the rose petals. Although it was hard to see them in the distance, and the wind blew them around randomly, they provided the only way of tracking Ruby. Their path took a sudden sharp right at the fortress, and then seemed to stop falling. They made it. Yang let out a silent sigh. It was now all up to this healer Pyrrha mentioned.

Within a few agonizing minutes, the four remaining runners also reached the fortress. In a burst of adrenaline and speed, Yang pulled out in front. As they curved around and came to the open fortress gate, she was the first to enter.

A guard stood immediately on the other side of the gate. He was probably directing traffic. His purpose didn't really matter. He was simply the first person Yang could grab on to. She yook him by the collar and lifted him into the air with one hand.

"Where are they?" She demanded. The guard wore a look of surprised terror.

"I—I don't—what?" He stammered. Yang didn't have time for this. She looked down and had an idea.

"Never mind." She dropped the guard and turned right, running down the hall. "This way!" She gestured to her comrades.

A convenient carpet of rose petals covered the narrow stone floor. Yang followed them all the way to the end of the corridor and down a long spiral staircase.

The lower levels, usually reserved for criminals and secret meetings, had been converted into a makeshift infirmary. Patch was not prepared for such a tragedy. There were no other places large enough to hold all the wounded.

The place reeked of blood and death from dark stone floor to arched ceiling. Smoke from the torches did nothing to disperse the scent. Each side of the narrow hall was broken up by several doors. Yang looked in to each one as she passed. The rectangular rooms were all full of bleeding guardsmen and civilians. Most did not move.

The rose petal trail led to the last door on the right. Yang sprinted into it. Ruby rose from her chair in the back right hand corner the moment her sister entered the room. She stood next to the bed upon which Weiss lay, being treated by the healer who looked quite familiar.

"Yang!" Ruby exclaimed. "You'll never believe this, but the healer is—"

"_Jaune_!?" Yang shouted.

The blonde boy stood over the motionless body of Weiss. His hands glowed white and hovered over her face. He flinched at the sound of his name. His work did not cease, however.

"Uh, hey there, Boss," he said awkwardly.

"What the _hell_, man?" Yang approached him aggressively. "You're a member of the Beacon?"

"Surprise?" he winced.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Yang demanded.

"We're a secret organization, what do you want?" Jaune defended himself. Nora joined them and giggled.

"Jaune isn't just a member, he's our squad leader!" She mused.

"Nora," Jaune warned.

"What?" Yang threatened to light on fire. To discover the existence of a formerly fictional organization and then learn one of her closest friends had been a member the whole time? It was almost too much to bear. Her frustration only seemed to entertain Nora further.

"Don't you think it's strange he showed up here at the same time you received word of Lady Weiss's visit?" She challenged.

This bit of information made Yang's head swim. She never even considered it before, but now that all the data lay bare before her, it kind of made sense. It would explain why Jaune always seemed strangely sharp for a rookie, and why he never seemed to get hurt.

"Speaking of which," Pyrrha said as she entered the group, bringing them back on task. "How is she doing?"

"Its..." Jaune sighed. "It's hard to tell. I was able to stop the bleeding and close the wound. I tried to save her eyesight, and there's still the question of brain damage, but we won't know about either of those until she wakes up."

"But she's stable," Ren asked.

"Yes. She'll live," Jaune clarified. "I just don't know if she'll be worse for wear." To emphasize his point, Jaune dropped his hands. They lost their white glow.

"You did all you can, Jaune," Pyrrha said with a reassuring hand on his shoulder. Yang eyed this gesture with suspicion. What was with _them_?

Yang had many questions, enough to possibly last a week, but she wouldn't get a chance to ask them. A guard jogged into the room and interrupted any previous train of thought.

"Yang!" He called. In almost one motion, all six of the standing folks turned to him. He joined the circle.

"Hannigan!" Yang returned. "Am I glad to see you."

"Same here," Hannigan returned. "I'm glad you made it back in one piece." Something about his tone alarmed her.

"Did you need me for something? Where's Captain Viscerious?" She asked quickly.

"The Captain..." Hannigan dropped his gaze. "He didn't make it." His revelation sent shock waves through the sisters. Ruby gasped and Yang closed her eyes.

"You're kidding me," Yang breathed. "Then who's in charge now?"

"Well, it was Charleston but," Hannigan paused. "Now that you're here, _you_ are the highest ranking officer present."

For what was perhaps the first time in her life, Yang was speechless. She hadn't the slightest idea how to respond to his news. If she were in charge, then that meant only four of the ten elite guards returned to the fortress. By this time, they should have all been back.

Command. Yang never thought this day would come. She didn't expect to ever be given the mantle of responsibility. She didn't want it. Now, Yang could have cast it away onto someone else, let Charlston have it back, but what would that say about the situation? In a crises, moral was paramount. If she dropped out, then moral would plummet. This would result in more deaths. No, it had to be her. Someone else might get it wrong.

"Okay, alright, I'll do it." Yang decided. "Where's the rest of the officers?

"Up in the war room," Hannigan answered.

"Good, take me there. Pyrrha, you come too," Yang orderd. This declaration took the redhead by surprise.

"Me?" She pointed to herself.

"Yes, I might need you for something, so come on." Yang did _not_ have the patience for this. Thankfully, Pyrrha argued no further.

The three of them left the lower levels, walking at a brisk pace. They didn't run because the war room was not far, and running wouldn't look good. As dumb as it may sound, politics were important in a position of leadership, even during such a situation. Yang now had appearances to keep up.

Yang's head still reeled from the emotional blow dealt to her. It hadn't sunk in yet the great power she'd been bestowed with. People would be looking to her for direction, now, but she didn't have the first idea what to do. She'd never led and army, much less one in such dire straits. She needed to formulate a plan, but in order to do so she needed to know exactly what resources were available. That information could not be divulged until she reached her destination.

The war room lay on the second floor of the fortress, directly in the center of it. It was a round chamber with a pedestal in the middle which currently housed a large map of Patch. The three other officers stood around it, bickering. Good God, things were worse than she thought.

Yang and Pyrrha entered the war room. Hannigan did not. As soon as they did, one of the officers opposed them.

"Hey, who the hell is this?" He gestured toward Pyrrha. "This is a restricted area."

"Shut it, O'Hara," Yang barked. "She's with me. She's a... a friend."

O'Hara, clearly unhappy with the decision, accepted it. "At least you finally decided to show up." He quipped before returning to the pedestal.

"Yes, I finally decided to show up." Yang got right in his face. "Before this, I was with the Lady Weiss, making sure she got back here safely. Did you go out looking for her, or were you too busy hiding?" Yang kept eye contact with him. He didn't respond. "That's what I thought. Like it or not, I'm in charge now so you can either deal with it or leave."

The two of them never saw eye-to-eye. O'Hara was an old man, stuck in his ways. He didn't quite like such a young girl usurping him in rank. However, he was also sensible. He knew when to back down. This was one of those times. He looked away from her and focused on the map with a _tsk_.

"Alright, then. What's the situation." Yang moved to the empty spot around the pedestal. The four of them formed a perfect diamond. Pyrrha stood at her left shoulder.

"The X's on the map show all the areas we've cleared so far." One of the officers said, pointing to the aforementioned areas.

"That's it?" Yang arched her eyebrows. There were only six red X's on the map.

"We don't have many guards fit for duty, and the flow of information is slow." the officer explained. "We drew back the remaining guards until we could reassess the situation."

"How many men do we have?" Yang asked.

"There's eighty-six wounded in the barracks and lower levels, and another thirty awaiting orders," the same officer continued to answer her.

This information flooded over Yang. The Patch garrison was over two-hundred fifty strong before all this. Now, only one-hundred sixteen remained. The majority of the island's soldiers were stationed at defensive forts dotting the landscape, but these sort of losses were still unbelievable. And the White Fang was supposed to be a terrorist organization? No, damage of this magnitude could only be done by armies.

Yang took a deep breath. "Okay, we need to clear the town, make sure the bad guys are gone." She turned to the girl on her left. "Pyrrha, go get Ruby, Ren, and Nora. Split into four teams of six and search the streets."

"On it!" Pyrrha ran out the war room, headed for the lower levels.

"Hannigan, get in here!" Yang called out the door. The summoned guard appeared in the entrance. "Gather the rest of the guards and form a runner team. Get some horses, and report directly to me. I want a constant stream of intel."

Hannigan saluted. "Sir!"

"What about us?" O'Hara inquired.

"I want you three keeping order around the fort. This is our headquarters. If we lose control of it, we're screwed," Yang ordered.

"Bullshit!" O'Hara interjected. "You need us in the streets."

"My friends are more than capable of holding their own. They don't, however, have the authority to give out orders, and I need to be here coordinating with the runners. So, that leaves you to make sure what little command we have doesn't fall down around us." Yang explained the reason behind her decision, and made it perfectly clear she would not tolerate dissenters.

O'Hara gritted his teeth. His eyes burned with rage, but he left the war room all the same. The other officers were hot on his heels.

Yang spun halfway 'round and leaned back against pedestal. She sighed. The next several hours would be a true testament to her organization and patience, but if she could rid her city of the White Fang and save lives, it would all be worth it. She just had to get to that point without an aneurysm.

**Notes:** **Enter team JNPR! I told you more would happen in this chapter. How will Yang deal with the responsibility thrust upon her? Will Weiss make a full recovery? Tune in next time to find out! ...I can't believe I just said that.**


	7. The Burden

"South through Maple have been cleared, and they're continuing southeast." Said a male voice.

"Good," replied Yang. She sat in the war room hunched over the pedestal. With red ink she marked X's on all the streets between South and Maple, just as the guard had reported. Over half the streets on the map were accounted for.

Another guard entered the room. "Ren's group encountered the enemy on Jackson, but they eliminated them without casualty and are moving east."

"That's the only bunch of stragglers we've seen so far," Yang said as she crossed off a few more streets. "Let's hope they're the last."

Yang lost track long ago of exactly how many hours she'd been collecting data on that map. The war room didn't have a clock, which was a severe oversight now that she thought about it. Again, Patch was not a violent island. Things like war and catastrophe barely registered as possibility on the minds of most citizens, especially during times of peace. They weren't ready. By the end of the day, however, that would probably all change.

Despite how important her task was, it got old real fast. With the exception of that last report, they'd all been the same. A team would have cleared a certain swath of streets with no reported incidents. It became dull and predictable. Yang didn't dare preemptively mark off progress, but she would be rather safe in doing so.

While she sat quietly, contemplating the situation, Jaune appeared in the doorway. He stood silently, watching her. His social ineptitude took hold at the worst of times. He hadn't the faintest idea how to continue. She looked busy. Should he interrupt? No, that would be rude. It's much better to wait for her to finish. But how long would that take? He had important things to do, and couldn't afford to stand there until the sun set. Then again, she was probably still mad at him. Maybe he should just leave. Yang could be a bit... _volatile_ when angry.

Thankfully for him, he didn't have to bear the brunt of indecision for long.

"Something to report, Jaune?" Yang said without looking up. Yeah, still mad.

The blonde boy startled at her voice. "Um... yes. I've healed a few of the wounded soldiers almost completely. They want to help fight."

"We're not fighting, we're _searching_," Yang corrected.

"Yeah, that. They want to help."

"How many are they?" Yang continued on.

"Eight." Jaune said with a nod.

"Tell them to split into two teams and search the already cleared streets for looters, starting from the west side. People are probably catching on that things are pretty safe by now, and looters are always the first ones to come out."

"Okay, I'll do that." Jaune wanted to leave, but a lingering question kept him in the doorway. "Hey, are you... still mad at me?"

Yang dropped her quill pen back in the inkwell. She sighed and rubbed her eyes. "I was never mad, Jaune." She dropped her hand. "Disappointed, sure. Betrayed? Most definitely. But now that the adrenaline has worn off, I just don't care anymore. I know why you kept your secret, and it's fine that you did. Right now, I'm just a bit stressed out."

"Oh, okay. That's good, I guess." Jaune panicked a little. "Not that you're stressed out, or anything, but that you're not mad at me."

Yang smiled. Same old goofy Jaune. Her expression faded quickly, however.

"I have a question for you, too," she said.

"Yeah?"

"Nora said it was weird you only showed up at the same time we learned Weiss would be coming. That was months ago. Did you know any of this was gonna happen?"

It was Jaune's turn to get serious. "No. The Beacn has been fighting the White Fang for years now, and we thought they might try something here, but we didn't know for sure. They put me here to gather intel on the town and plan for every possible outcome."

"So, when the rest of your team came to save us, that was _your_ doing?" Yang added.

"Not exactly. I tried to plan for everything, but there was one variable I could never wrap my head around," Jaune admitted.

"Oh yeah?" Yang raised an eyebrow. "And what was that?"

"You."

And with that, Jaune left. Yang stared at where he had been for a moment. She wasn't entirely sure how to react to what he just said. She was an unexpected variable. Was that a good thing or not? To say her escort attempt went poorly would be an understatement, but how well can anything like that actually end up? No one died, and only one person was injured. And, that part wasn't even because of anything she did. Maybe her rescue wasn't that bad after all.

There was no time to dwell on this, for Hannigan entered the room.

"Harris through North Root have been cleared, Nora is proceeding directly east." He said.

"Right." Yang marked off the streets. "Is she gonna try to clear the top of the map?"

"I believe so," Hannigan confirmed.

"That's smart, why didn't I think of that until now?" Yang berated herself. She quickly drew three lateral lines on the map and wrote a name in the four spaces they created: Nora, Ruby, Pyrrha, Ren. "Here, take this." she handed it to Hannigan. "Ride around to the parties, tell them to search west to east in these sectors."

"What if the streets cross from one section to another?" Hannigan asked, inspecting the map.

"Finish searching the street and then continue in their respective area. We'll overlap a little, but it'll still be faster than what we're currently doing."

"Sir!" Hannigan saluted his understanding and left the room.

As soon as he was gone, Yang rubbed her eyes again. She had a headache. Now that the process of searching had been further streamlined, it should be done in no time at all. As long as her men managed to avoid conflict, it would be all good. There was still the problem of looters, though. Maybe Yang should focus more attention in that area.

…

Late that same night. Or, perhaps early morning. It was hard to tell. Regardless, the sun had gone down long ago, leaving Patch to the dark embrace of night. Yang sat at her chain in the war room, slumped over the pedestal. Her head was down, yet she still clutched a cup of coffee in her grasp, careful to place it on stone.

The map lay crooked on the platform, partially hanging off the side. Every street had an X. In the bottom right corner the word _clear_ was scribbled into the margin. Near the west quadrant of the city, _looters!_ had been written in big letters and then crossed out vigorously. It was over. They'd won.

But still, Yang remained. The danger may be over, but her job was far from complete. The town still needed leadership, and she was in charge of the police force. So she sat in the war room, swilling coffee and smacking her head against the stone. This time, however, it seemed sleep prevailed. Her breaths were deep and even, her eyes closed.

The slightest noise from somewhere outside the room, and Yang's head sprung up. She looked around, wide stare trying to take in the entire space at once. Danger! What was the danger? Someone save the bacon!

A few seconds calmed her frayed nerves. She let out her breath. There was no danger. Also, no bacon. She'd just fallen asleep. Yang looked at the far wall. Stupid brain, now is not the time for rest. She had to remain vigilant. Although, that part may need some work. When she looked back at the door, she nearly jumped out of her skin. Hannigan leaned against the jam, a smug smirk on his face.

"Did I frighten you?" He joked. Yang gave him a cross look but did not respond. He entered the room. "I thought I'd find you here."

"Were you looking for me?" Yang challenged.

"I was, actually." Hannigan stood across from her at the pedestal.

"Well, here I am. Congratulations." Yang put her chin down on the stone. She tried to take a clumsy sip of her coffee, but Hannigan snatched it away from her heavy hand. "Hey!" She stretched out her fingers, trying to reclaim the cup without actually moving. The look on her face was both adorable and pathetic.

"Go to sleep, Yang." Hannigan said plainly.

"I give the orders around here," Yang whinned.

"It wasn't an order, just a request." clarified Hannigan. "Get out of your armor and go to bed."

"But what if something happens? I need to be here to help."

"You've helped all day. The town is clear because of you, Yang. You've earned a little rest." Hannigan could see in her half-closed eyes she still wasn't convinced. "Do I have to get your sister up here?" He threatened.

"Anything but that..." Yang trailed off, sliding over the side of the pedestal. She stopped herself on the way down and straightened up. "Fine, I'm going." She stood and dragged her feet toward the door.

"You'd better be," Hannigan watched her go.

"Are those fighting words? I'll kick your ass." Warned Yang without facing him.

"As long as you do it in the morning," Hannigan confirmed.

"It's a promise."

"Goodnight, Yang," Hannigan said with a sense of finality.

Yang stopped at the door, bracing herself against the jam for a moment. After regaining her balance, she shuffled out and turned right.

"Bunks are the other way," Hannigan called after her.

Yang passed in front of the door. "I knew that," she said as she passed. Hannigan just nodded as she disappeared. Relieved she was finally gone, he gave a gigantic yawn and let his shoulders relax. He was also tired, but hid it all that time. Trying to convince Yang to go to bed wouldn't have worked so well if he was obviously not doing much better.

He walked out the door and turned left behind her, destined for the same place.

…

Darkness. The world closed in around her. Or did it expand? There was no sound, except her ears rang. Something beneath her back, keeping her from falling to the ground. Maybe she was on the ground? No, too soft. Not soft enough. Nothing mattered. None of this existed. It was all just darkness.

It faded, as did all things. The darkness was no more. What replaced it could be considered even more sinister. Understanding. Slow and vicious did it seep through the cracks of ignorance. Slowly, the world cleared up. The darkness lifted.

But why was it dark? Did it mean something? Why couldn't she see? Was there anything she could do? Wait a minute... she couldn't see! Yes, vision is the key, the answer to all her problems. Or was memory the key? Both? No, there had to be a reason behind her blindness, why those... ocular things in her head didn't work. What were they called again?

Eyes! Yes, it all made sense now. She couldn't see because her eyes were closed! Now to just open them? How do you do that? God, were they always this heavy? First one, and then the other. She struggled against the weight of her lids, desperate to open her eyes. Just a little more now. So close, just a little more.

An unfamiliar ceiling met her, all gray stone and mortar. Light from a nearby fire danced along the rock. Her vision was blurry, but as it slowly came into focus, she realized the ceiling was arched. They were underground somewhere. No, that's not right. That can't be right. Last she remembered she was in a street, running away from something.

As her sight returned, so did her other senses. It was quiet, dead quiet. The only sounds were the various deep breaths of other humans. Was it night time? That would explain the torch. No, it was always dark underground, right? There weren't many smells, either. Dirt and fire, of course, and something metallic and wet, but there was something else curious mixed in. Almost like a faint scent of... roses.

Where was that coming from? She slowly turned her head and found it. A redheaded girl sat on a chair next to her bed, slumped forward onto what empty space was left on the mattress. From the way her back rose and fell, she was obviously asleep. This girl looked familiar. What was her name again?

"Ruby?" She tried weakly, barely audible even to her. The redhead didn't move. "Ruby." She tried again, louder this time, but again to no avail. Was this girl actually a rock? From her laying position, she placed her hand on the girl's head. "Ruby!" She called as loud as she could, which was still not much. She accompanied this with erratic movements of her hand.

This finally got the girl's attention. She lifted her head, blinking rapidly. She yawned as the hand fell off her head.

"Lady Weiss?" the girl mused in wonder. Her eyes shot open as she realized what was going on. "Lady Weiss! You're awake!"

"Awake?" Weiss puzzled. "Was I asleep?" She looked around "Where am I?"

"Don't worry, I'll go get Jaune!" Ruby said. Before Weiss could protest, she was gone. She's really fast.

As Ruby left, something clicked to the floor in her wake. Weiss thought nothing of this until it revealed itself. A little gray and white dog head popped up over the side of her bed, perched up on its front paws, tongue hanging out. Weiss scowled at it.

"What are _you_ looking at?" She challenged. The dog simply closed its mouth and cocked its head to one side.

This was ridiculous. If she had to stay helplessly in a bed, she would at least sit up. Gingerly, Weiss began to move, pulling herself into an upright position. As soon as she did, Weiss wished she hadn't. Throbbing pain took over her head. Stars swam in her vision. Every bone in her body ached to lay back down, but that's not what a dignified lady would do. She pushed through the pain, trying her best to ignore it. Finally, she managed to creak into a proper sit. When she stopped, the world only spun for a few seconds. As it settled, so did her head. She still felt a little dizzy, but at least her brain didn't try to burst out of her skull.

After a few minutes Ruby returned with a young blonde man right behind her. They both moved with urgency. If Weiss weren't out of sorts she would have laughed out loud at the blonde's garb. He wore a gaudy blue onesie, like some sort of big toddler. At their appearance, the dog ran over to them. This surprised the blonde.

"Gah! Ruby, I told you not to let the dog in here," he shouted.

"Well, I can't just leave him alone!" she protested.

"This is a hospital, he's dirty." The blonde called behind him as he reached Weiss. Hospital?

The blonde, whom Weiss assumed must be the _Jaune_ Ruby mentioned, knelt down in front of Weiss. He held his finger up inches away from her nose.

"Follow my hand," he ordered swiftly. Jaune moved the finger left to right slowly, peering directly into her eyes. The intensity of his stare, combined with his proximity, caused her to blush just a little. She did as told, however, watching his finger sway.

"Okay." Seemingly satisfied, Jaune dropped his hand. "What's two plus two?"

Weiss hesitated. "Four?" Did he think her stupid.

Jaune let out a big breath and looked down, partially collapsing. "She's okay," he said more to himself. He raised his head to her. "You're okay." He turned to Ruby. "She's okay!"

Ruby picked up the dog. "That's amazing!" She joined Jaune at the bed. "I'm so happy you're alright."

"You two aren't making sense." Weiss was loosing her patience. "Why wouldn't I be okay, what happened?" She demanded.

Both Ruby and Jaune stared at her, clearly unsure how to proceed.

"Well," Jaune began. "That's easier to answer if you tell us what you remember."

Weiss didn't like this interrogation, but she complied. "There was a parade, and then a loud noise and I was bleeding. I remember an officer, I think Yang was her name, and then you were there," Weiss pointed at Ruby. "We ran and fought some guys, and then we ran some more and... and that's all I remember."

"Good, at least your memory is intact," Jaune quipped.

"You passed out," Ruby said. "There was a cut on your eye and you lost a lot of blood. But don't worry, Jaune here fixed you up."

Weiss looked at the blonde boy. He smiled sheepishly.

"I suppose I should thank you." Weiss crossed her arms.

"It's no big deal." Jaune scratched the back of his head. "But you should know, I was able to save your eye, but it was too late to completely heal the skin. I'm afraid there's a bit of... scaring." He winced, knowing this news would not go over well.

"What?" Weiss yelled. "A mirror, someone get me a mirror!" She looked around frantically in search of one. Jaune took her by the wrist.

"Hey, hey, calm down. The last thing you need right now is excitement."

"I think I saw a mirror in the bunks. I'll get you one." Ruby said before speeding off again.

Weiss eagerly anticipated her return. In the meantime, there was something else pecking at her brain.

"It's Jaune, right?" She asked. The boy nodded. "How long was I out?"

"I don't know for sure. You were attacked in the morning and its after midnight now, so probably around fourteen hours." Jaune explained. Weiss marveled at his words. Fourteen hours? How much did she miss? Jaune continued, interrupting her train of thought. "You owe Ruby your life, you know? She brought you in. If not for her speed, you probably wouldn't have made it in time."

"And how long was she sitting there?" Weiss asked, still processing this information.

"Ever since she came back from patrol. That was just after sunset. She refused to leave until you woke up," Jaune said.

Weiss looked away from him, preferring instead the bedsheets. Ruby really did all that for her? Someone she didn't even know, yet she went so far out of her way to help? Weiss could understand taking her to the hospital, any decent person would do that, but to stay with her for so long? No one did that for a stranger, not even a noblewoman. It spoke volumes about the girl's character, and earned her the respect of the heiress.

As Weiss was thinking about Ruby, the subject of her consideration entered the room. What she held was not a mirror, but instead a piece of broken glass. She held it out to Weiss, who took it carefully.

"I couldn't find a mirror, but this glass is still all over the place out there. Try not to cut yourself," she explained with a caution.

But Weiss didn't hear any of it. All she could look at was the dark slim scar which ran down of face, starting above her right eyebrow and trailing to a point just after her cheek bone.

Her face. Her perfect face, marred by a bunch of monkey-tailed barbarians. It was more than her heart could bear. A single tear escaped. It traced the outline of her scar as it slid down her cheek.

…

The next morning. Or, more accurately, afternoon. Not a soul in the fortress actually got out of bed early enough to see the morning.

Ruby and Yang had gathered in what used to be the quarters of Lord Captain Viscerious, but now belonged to the blonde. She did not wear her armor, and instead dressed in casual clothes. Weiss, who was feeling much better after a good night's rest, somehow allowed herself to be talked into joining them.

The three sat on the king size bed. While Weiss sat off to one side, Yang and Ruby aligned themselves in a row. Ruby sat behind her sister, absently braiding her hair .The fact that Yang allowed this to happen was a true portrayal of her absolute trust for the younger girl. Anyone else who tried to get close to her hair would find their hands broken.

For the size of the room, it was sparsely decorated. The bed sat nestled up into the northwest corner. A little down the ways from it sat an expensive looking dresser up against the north wall. The only other bit of furniture was a desk against the east wall. It didn't even have a carpet in the middle of the wood floor.

Zwei the dog got up from where he had been laying in the far corner and walked over to the bed. He stopped in front of Weiss and woofed, wagging his tail. She gave him a questioning look, attempting to ignore him. But those blue eyes could melt even the coldest of hearts. She sighed.

"Fine," she gave in. Zwei jumped up on the bed and positioned himself on Weiss's lap. He spun around in a circle once before laying down.

"Aw, he likes you," Yang joked.

"Yeah, yeah." Weiss gave a dismissive wave of her hand. She addressed the dog. "You're lucky you're cute."

At this moment, a knock came at the closed door. Everyone in the room froze for a second. They knew what to do, but weren't especially keen on speaking for the entire room. Yang, as the one in charge, decided to take precedence.

"Come in! I guess," she added to herself.

The heavy wooden door swung open to allow the entrance of Ren, Pyrrha, and Nora. They all still wore their battle gear, which slightly alarmed Yang. Why caparison themselves for war? The threat was over, the won. Why so cautious? No one else picked up on this, though. Maybe she was just being a bit paranoid.

"Hey, guys!" Ruby greeted.

"Hellooooo," Nora returned with an enthusiastic wave.

"Did you sleep well?" Pyrrha asked.

"Like a log," confirmed Yang. Ruby nodded agreement.

"And how about you, m'Lady?" continued Pyrrha. "Are you feeling better?"

"Much, thanks for asking," Weiss gave a formal response.

"That's very good to hear. You gave us quite the scare."

Yang made an attempt to move the conversation along. "Is this a social call, or is there a reason you're in my room." That sounded rude, but Yang didn't feel like standing on ceremony.

"Actually, we do have some business to discuss," Ren said. There it was. Yang _knew_ they had some sort of ulterior motive. This should be good.

"Alright, well, we're all ears," Yang egged them on. They exchanged a quick glances between themselves. Pyrrha was the one who spoke up.

"Lady Weiss, when you're ready we would like to accompany you on your way to Vale," she said.

"That's only natural," Weiss nodded. "I was actually about to request you do so anyway."

"But that's not all," Pyrrha began. "We've been talking it over, the three of us and Jaune, and..." she collected her thoughts. "To say we were impressed by your skill in combat would be a grievous understatement. The fact is, we need every good fighter we can get. We know this is a lot to ask of you right now, but as representatives of—"

Nora cut in. "We want you to join the Beacon!"


	8. Night Moves

It was morning in Vale. A chilly wind blew across the cobbled streets, carrying with it a pungent odor from the docks. Seagulls squawked and fought over scraps of food. A couple stray dogs played in an alley. It was another peaceful morning in the safest place in the world. Well, other than Atlas, anyway.

Tukson stood in his bookstore, facing the east wall. He thumbed absently through a forest green book. It had been a slow start to the day, with very little in the way of customers. That wasn't too unusual for a weekday, though. Business probably wouldn't start picking up for a few more hours, when everyone was on their lunch breaks.

For now, he enjoyed the quiet. Peaceful moments could be hard to come by, and Tukson had more reason for disorder than most. He breathed in and out, focusing on the book in his big hand. Calm and peaceful, just the way he liked it. Everything was right with the world. Nothing could ever ruin this moment.

As soon as this thought crossed his mind, it evaporated, replaced by the sound of a bell. He had customers. Great. While he appreciated the business, part of him wished the world would just leave him alone for a few more minutes. As he slowly turned, he began to greet the new person.

"Welcome to Tukson's Book Trade, every book under the—Blake?" Tukson blinked in wonder. The girl entered his shop. She turned the open sign to _closed_. "I thought we agreed never to meet in the day time," he said. Blake ignored him completely and charged into the store.

She shoved a piece of paper at him. "Did you see this?"

Tukson took the page and inspected it: a story from the day's newspaper. The headline read _Schnee Heiress Targeted by Terrorists_.

"Yeah, it happened three days ago, if I remember the article correctly," Tukson said. "What about it?"

"What about it?" Blake rounded on him. "This is what they were planning, Tukson. The White Fang, they were going to kill the Schnee girl."

"We don't know if this was their endgame," Tukson said calmly in an attempt to diffuse the situation. "Besides, they didn't. She made it out okay."

"That's not the point. We allowed this to happen. We were the ones trying to stop it, but we failed." Blake turned away with a huff.

"Blake," Tukson began cautiously. "We did all we could. We don't even know if this was planned by _our_ contingent of the White Fang. There's nothing else we could've done."

"That's not good enough, and you know it," Blake argued.

Tukson finally put his book down on one of the standing racks. "Why do you even care?"

Blake rounded on him again. "What did you say?" Fury burned in her eyes.

"Why do you care what happens to some Schnee bitch? I mean, her family isn't exactly a friend of the faunus. So the White Fang wants her dead, so what? I say, let them have her."

"How can you _say_ that?" Blake closed the distance between them. "This isn't about allegiances. It isn't about prejudice. It's about right and wrong. It's about lives. The White Fang is evil and corrupt, you and I both know that. Stopping them is what matters. If they want Weiss Schnee dead, well then that's more reason for us to save her."

Tukson sighed and looked down. Blake's passion was one of her more admirable traits, but sometimes it made her impossible to deal with. Once she set her mind on something, there was not a force in the world strong enough to stop her.

Of course Tukson understood the goals of their crusade. He didn't really want the Schnee girl to die, either. But saving the life of an enemy doesn't earn you amnesty with them. All it does is give you two enemies. Allowing two opposing parties to take each other out made sense to him, and most likely everyone else in the world, but Blake wasn't everyone else. No, she saw the world in her own unique way, through eyes which were solely her own.

Without another word, Tukson went into the back room and acquired the folder with all their information on the White Fang. He brought it back out to the storefront and set it down on a rack. He opened it and neatly placed the article on the top of the pile. It was the only new entry since Leif Strong's investment portfolio.

"Okay, what's out next move?" He inquired of Blake.

"We need to know what they're up to now." Blake joined him at the folder. "Organizations like the White Fang are always moving. With the failed attempt on the Lady Weiss's head, they're doubtless formulating some new scheme."

"Okay," Tukson agreed. "I'll talk to some of my guys, put out some feelers, see what we can come up with. Is that all?"

"No, we need to send a message," concluded Blake. "Let them know Vale isn't any safer than Patch."

"And how do you propose we do that?" Tukson asked, although he already knew the answer.

"We break something," Blake said with a sense of finality. Bingo.

"Okay, I think I know just the thing." Tukson began to root around in the folder. After a few moments he produced a map of Vale and the surrounding area. He pointed to a specific circled area. "I learned about this a couple days ago. The city guard says there's been a suspicious amount of activity at a farmhouse in this area."

"What makes you think it's the White Fang?" Blake asked.

"The amount of people reportedly coming and going, and the fact that they only work at night."

"That makes sense," Blake agreed. "Human workers wouldn't be there at night, they can't see."

"Exactly. Now, I don't know for sure what's going on, but you could check it out if you wanted to."

"Okay, sounds like a plan," Blake nodded. "This is better than anything we've had for a while. After the sun goes down I'll go take a look and come back here with what I find." She began to leave.

"Be careful out there," Tukson cautioned. Blake turned to him with a sinister smile.

"No promises." And with that, she left. Tukson shook his head. Sometimes, that woman infuriated him.

…

Blake ran among the trees, motions concealed by night and prevailing wind from the morning. No moon illuminated the sky, intensifying the dark. She bounded from branch to branch. Fleet of foot and her paths chosen well, Blake moved at a quicker pace than most people could ever hope to manage. Leaves whizzed by. The breeze buffeted her face. It was all she ever wanted, to be free and fast.

This night was particularly still. Normally, various creatures could be heard disturbing the ground below, especially since the route she traversed did not follow any trail currently in use. However, the only dominant sound was the wind. No inhuman calls or undue rustles. Any noise at all was a rarity. Nights like this were not unheard of, but Blake couldn't help take note. Perhaps the sudden White Fang presence had driven away the Grimm. Unlikely, but it was possible. She'd have to wait and see.

The wind picked up for a few seconds. This wouldn't have been a problem had Blake not been in midair. The branch she'd been aiming for swayed to the right, far outside of her grasp. She missed her target and began to tumble through the trees. Too high, she was too high. There weren't enough other branches to catch herself on at this altitude.

It was time for plan B. Blake drew her chain-sickle. She threw it out at an up ahead tree trunk. It wrapped around the trunk. She pulled tight and braced against the sudden change in momentum. The jolt from the ribbon pulling her in a different direction threatened to pull her arm out of its socket. She gritted her teeth through the pain and looked around for any possible escape route.

She'd already reached the apex of her swing. Time was running out. Through the brush she saw it, a thick branch directly ahead. Blake pumped her legs forward to gain speed and control. She accelerated to the top of her swing. At the last possible moment she let go.

The ribbon she swung from, still connected to her body, fed out behind her. Although she hadn't misjudged the distance, she forgot to take into account how much ribbon she had. It ran out rather quick, alarmingly so. Thinner and thinner did it grow as she approached her destination. Blake squinted her golden eyes and focused. This may end badly.

As Blake began her descent, the ribbon got down to its last few feet. She landed hard on the branch, dropping to one knee to absorb the impact. Her breaths came in heavy repetitions as she held that pose for a bit, regaining her composure. She moved her arm around in broad circles to work out the kinks.

Satisfied everything was back in order, and happy to be alive, Blake began to reel in her sickle. A few good shakes jiggled it loose. She pulled it toward herself, wrapping it around her torso and left arm. That was stupid, absolutely _idiotic._ She couldn't afford any more mistakes like that. Mistakes got people killed. No more mistakes.

After gathering up her sickle, Blake dropped down several feet. She continued on at a much safer altitude. Living closer to the ground made her more visible, but also opened up more avenues of movement. All in all, she actually ended up traveling faster than before.

Several more minutes passed as Blake traveled through the forest. This farmhouse was quite far outside the city gates. Why anyone chose to live out here was far beyond her. She understood solitude of such a location, but being so far away from the city could prove dangerous. No walls and no soldiers for defense, it was almost like inviting danger. However, this also made it perfect for illegal operations conducted by an evil terrorist organization.

Eventually, she made it to the target destination. It lay in a sizable man made clearing. Blake sat in a tree on the edge of it, observing the area. A two-story house, big red barn, a big square field recently plowed, it was pretty quaint. Blake herself may not have minded living there if it were a bit closer to the city, just for protection sake. For now, though, it was enemy occupied ground, and that meant it had to be cleansed.

Blake took quick note of all the persons in the clearing below. They were _definitely_ White Fang. Their weapons, masks, and hooded uniforms gave it away. However, as they were not necessarily a combat unit, they didn't wear armor. In this situation, it made sense. The night was only so long. Armor would slow them down.

Four guards stood vigil at the main and only entrance to the clearing. Four more worked around a large cart—the kind used to load ships—transferring supplies from it into the barn. Although she could not see inside the barn, it was safe to assume more soldiers waited inside. Blake was too far away to see what the supplies were, but if the White Fang had them than they must be bad things.

One lookout walked along the roof of the barn in a predicable route. He would move to one spot on the barn, stop for a little to look around, then quarter-turn and repeat the process. Most of the rest of the men either patrolled the perimeter or stood around talking to one another. All told, there were probably right around twenty guys.

Blake formulated a plan. Of course, the option to just take them from the front was open, but her arm wasn't exactly in the best of shape. Fighting may prove more difficult than it was worth. In this instance, stealth seemed the best course of action.

She moved over to the east side of the clearing, careful to give it a wide berth. Getting spotted this early on would just be embarrassing. She dropped down to the ground and moved through the brush. One of the White Fang members was actually dumb enough to stand with his back to the forest. Blake punished him for his ignorance. She wrapped her ribbon around his neck and yanked him into the trees. A stab from her sickle spelled his end.

Quickly, Blake ascended back into the trees. The following kills would not be that easy. No matter what opportunities presented themselves, none of them would work out as long as that sentry persisted. He had to be dealt with if she hoped to progress any further.

Continuing west, Blake came around behind the house and barn. She stayed relatively low in an attempt to avoid detection. In high places, people tend to look up more than down. It's an instinct. She inspected the area. This part of the land was pretty barren. The only thing of note was a pile of hay behind the house in the corner closest to the barn.

Blake hatched a hasty plan. She moved around to the left of the barn and waited, concealing herself as best she could in the branches. The sentry had been following the same path since she arrived. He walked to the front of the barn, pausing directly in the middle. He waited there for a moment before moving on to the east side.

Wait. There would be a perfect time to strike. Blake just had to wait for it. She drew her pistol crossbow and prepared for the shot. The sentry moved to the rear of the barn, where he stood in the middle and stopped. Blake aimed and fired. The bolt entered his temple. It gave no sound as he fell and slid down the roof, picking up speed as he went. The roof sloped up at the end, just like many barns do. The sentry took the slope and sailed through the air. It was almost comical watching his limp body wriggle in the wind. He landed perfectly on the hay. Not a noise betrayed his literal downfall. Blake smiled. That worked better than she could have ever hoped for.

Her celebration was short lived. A pair of guards walked around the left of the barn where she perched in the trees. She thanked her lucky stars they didn't see any of what just transpired. Blake watched them as they walked. They spoke about something nonsensical, but she wasn't really paying attention. They walked all the way to the edge of the tree line. Perfect.

Blake drew her sword and scabbard—which doubled as a cleaver with its sharp edge—and dropped out of the brush. The two stupid guards were none the wiser as she fell upon them. Her soft boots allowed her to land silently. Blake slit their throats in one simple motion. Quickly, she dragged their bodies into the bush.

The absence of a sentry allowed Blake to do basically whatever she wanted. She slinked along behind the house, passing the dead sentry on his deathbed of hay. At the far edge of the building she stopped to peer out into the clearing. A pair of guards looked out into the forest, again talking about something. This seemed to be a trend, guards congregating in groups of either two or four.

They would be easy kills, as long as she could do it without being spotted. She leaned further around the house to view a larger swath of land. Eight soldiers were currently engrossed in their tasks; the cart and entrance teams, respectively. However many soldiers inhabited the barn couldn't see her anyway. All the others seemed blissfully unaware of her presence.

That was all Blake needed. She attacked, stalking as quickly as she could without making noise. She curved around and got behind her targets. They had no idea she was there, and continued to have their pointless conversation. Drawing her sword and cleaver, she prepared to pounce. Blake tackled them into the trees. With her sword she stabbed the right soldier through the chest. Her cleaver sliced at the back of the left one. The latter didn't die right away. Blake stamped on his windpipe before he could alert his friends.

Blake continued her game of attrition. It was more waiting than anything else. She would hide in the shadows, watching her enemies. When one group moved too close to the trees, or otherwise isolated themselves, she would take them out. This happened three times. Each kill came in pairs. Obviously, they'd enacted a buddy system before arriving on site.

Although the work itself was gruesome, something about the meticulous nature of it eased her heart. It was like a deadly game of cat and mouse. Or, maybe a puzzle of sorts. Either way, this exercise made her strangely calm. Now, of course, Blake did not in _any_ way enjoy taking lives. This was terrible. Every death reverberated within her soul. However, the consistency and skill required to pull off these maneuvers put her into a sort of trance. She suspected marksmen felt similarly when firing from a high place. It became almost automatic. By the time she made her last kill, it barely even registered with her.

Before long, all the roving and miscellaneous guards were gone, their bodies hidden well enough. Now came the hard part, the large groups. Blake only had two hands. Even if she fired a crossbow bolt and quickly transitioned to her melee weapons, that was still only three kills. It was impossible to take them all down without at least one of them making some sort of noise. So, instead of think how to avoid this problem, Blake embraced it. Time to kick the hive.

From a position above the four men ta the clearing entrance, Blake hovered in the trees. She watched them. Only a moment's planning passed before she dropped down. Her targets were the two on the right. She cut them down as she descended. Obviously, the remaining two noticed this brazen attack. Blake struck the closest one as he fumbled with his sword. The furthest, however, had a split second more to consider his next course of action.

"HELP!" He shouted a moment before a broad blade split his larynx.

The soldiers at the cart heard him cry out. One of them pointed at Blake and they charged. Six more exited the barn a moment behind. They approached in two lines. This is _exactly_ what Blake wanted them to do. She drew her kusarigama and returned their rush.

Blake put her head down and ran directly at them. She was much faster, and closed the distance within seconds. The White Fang member closest to the front swung and connected. Blake vanished into thin air. An afterimage. The real Blake had leapt to the sky at the last moment. The soldier looked up too late. Blake swung down at them, flipping over once for added momentum. This attack killed three.

As she descended, Blake rolled into a tumbling ball. Her ribbon extended as far as she would allow it to, becoming rigid from its speed. She came down on a fourth soldier. She sheer power of this attack sliced clean through his cranium. It exploded in a spray of blood, brains, and fragmented bone.

First wave eliminated, Blake moved on to the larger second lance. She swung horizontally and spun, slicing down as she came back around. Two down. She continued to strike vertically for three more clean kills. Refusing to give over the offensive, Blake swung laterally twice, once high and then low. She continued into a downward attack. There was only one left now. Blake twirled and lashed out. Her ribbon wrapped around the head of the final attacker. She spun around the other direction and pulled back. His neck snapped, turning almost completely around.

Blake made for the barn, intent on inspecting its contents. Instead, she saw a final White Fang soldier leaning against the door jam. He made no move to intercept her. Of course, he planned to fight her inside the building. There wasn't room to use her chain sickle in such a confined space. Smart. Blake sheathed sheathed her kusarigama in favor of sword and cleaver. She was happy to oblige.

She walked menacingly up to the barn. As she approached, the final soldier smiled and ducked inside. He stood in the middle, weapon drawn, waiting patiently. Blake recognized the patch on his shoulder, a sergeant. His sword was similar to those used by the other men, just with a slimmer blade. He held it differently, too; out in front at an acute angle. Blake read about this style once. The weapon was called a _Jian_, but she knew little about its use in combat. None of this mattered. Nothing could stop her.

They squared of for a moment. Blake opened the bout with a high lateral swipe. The sergeant blocked it with very little movement. This surprised Blake. Her strike was faster than most people would be able to see, but he stopped it with almost zero effort.

The sergeant gave a rebuttal. He slid his blade along hers in a sly stab. Blake stepped back and then attacked. She struck high but the sergeant blocked, countering with a swift low cut. Blake spun twice, staggering her flat slices. The sergeant blocked all four. He thrust forward and then faded back with a twirl of his point. Just as it seemed he was going to retreat to a defensive posture, he lashed out one more time.

Blake tried to get a read on his tactics. He played mind games like a fencer, but his style was a bit more fluid and mobile. The blade also seemed sharper and faster. This would be interesting.

The two engaged in a flurry of strikes. One would attack only to be blocked and countered. Neither gave over any ground. They were in perfect sync, never slowing. No mistakes were made. No misplaced feet. No overextended wrists. They were flawless, but the sergeant had one palpable advantage; he was stronger, and Blake knew it. She had to do something fast.

Blake feinted a drop of her left hand. The sergeant took the bait and sliced for her unprotected side. Blake formed an afterimage and slipped around his right, outside the rotation of his blow. Blake struck down with both blades. He turned and put his sword up at the last moment. Their weapons met an an awkward angle. Blake's deflected down his left. He dragged his own blade up against her motion.

The three blades ground together. Sparks flew from them. Most of these rogue flares harmlessly petered out on the floorboards, but one found a more dangerous target. It landed on a burlap sack, lighting it on fire almost instantly. Blake looked to the source of the small inferno. She realized what the sack contained all too late: Fire Dust. The substance ignited and exploded.

The blast was much closer to Blake. She was thrown backward through the air. She hit with an audible crack against one of the barn's support pillars. Her head swam from the impact. She groaned and shook her head, regaining her equilibrium.

It's a good thing she did, too, because the sergeant had not been so adversely effected. He charged at her, sword out. Blake dodged to the right just before his blade entered her gut. Instead, it only cut into the wood. The sergeant snarled and looked over his right shoulder. Blake struck at him. He ducked her attack. It was now Blake's turn to hit the pole. She cleaved it right in two. It sprung up a few inches and then fell down upon itself. The two pieces still supported one another, but were not properly aligned anymore. They would collapse eventually.

The sergeant rose up and struck vertically. Blake blocked. She countered with a triple combo, striking down with staggered blades before a spin and third downward blow. None of these made it through. The fighters exchanged a quick flurry, blades binding five total times. Blake kicked the sergeant in the stomach. He stumbled back. Blake jumped forward and struck at him hard. His Aura protected him, but that attack did a lot of damage. He probably couldn't take much more.

The sergeant reeled all the way back to the burning wall. Blake closed in and attempted to lop off his head. Predictably, he dodged and slid behind her. Blake sheathed her sword and quickly drew her pistol crossbow. She twisted around and fired at the sergeant. The small bolt embedded in his shoulder.

He never expected this. The sergeant backpedaled, coming to a stop against the sliced post. As he attempted to tend his wound, Blake's ribbon wrapped around him. Constricted against the post, all he could do was sneer at her as she approached. Blake put her scabbard/cleaver against his throat. He pulled his chin up and met her eyes, insanity blazing within his own.

"Congrats," he joked, voice filled with sickening mirth.

"Tell me everything you know about this operation," Blake demanded. "Why store all this stuff here?"

"You really think I'll tell you anything, you dumb bitch?" He spat at her. Thankfully for him, he missed.

"Do it and I'll let you live." Blake attempted to strike a bargain with him.

"I'd rather die than betray our great leader!" Declared the sergeant. This was clearly a lost cause.

"If that's what you want." Blake removed her sword. She cut her ribbon and turned away, making for the exit. "Have it your way."

The sergeant struggled against the restraints, but to no avail. He was trapped in the blaze.

Blake left the barn. She slipped away into the forest as it burned. The sergeant's screams became scattered whispers on the wind.

**Notes:** **Psycho-murder-ninja Blake strikes again! All those years I spent playing Assassin's Creed finally paid off. I quite enjoy writing these sections. I hope that comes through to you, the readers.**


	9. Sea of Lies

Ruby's silver eyes fluttered open. A miniature battle took place to keep them as such. Part of her wanted to join the day, but another part wanted to return to the peaceful embrace of dreamland. Eventually, though, the former won out. She yawned and stretched, squirming beneath the sheets to work out all the kinks in her joints.

With a sudden jolt of energy, she sat up. Her dark red hair poofed out randomly like a fuzzball. This humidity played hell on her locks. She wasn't blessed with perfect hair like her sister.

Ruby took a quick look around her room. It was small yet quaint. Made entirely of wood, it featured a bed set perpendicular up against the far wall, a dresser to its right, and little else. The space was designed to be efficient, not comfortable. It's a good thing Ruby suffered not from claustrophobia. Otherwise, these quarters would have been unbearable.

She swung her feet over the side of the bed and stood, allowing the blanket to drop in a heap on the floor. Ruby stretched before opening up the dresser. Lazily, she began to change into her day clothes. Her pajamas were not necessarily unbecoming, they just didn't seem to fit the current situation.

A quick check in the mirror consumed but a second. Ruby scowled just a little bit. Her hair was about as tamed as it would get, and her combat skirt could do with a good steaming. At least her ever-present crimson hood remained immaculate as ever. Satisfied with her look, Ruby stepped out on the deck.

Immediately, the smells of salt and fish flooded her lungs, along with the fresh scent of nature untainted by man. This wasn't her home in Patch but instead, a sailboat. She breathed deep, savoring the moment. Although not particularly keen on the great outdoors, this sort of raw freedom was addicting.

A commotion drew Ruby's attention left, and spoiled the moment. Jaune was bent double over the railing, spewing out whatever he'd had for lunch. A concerned Pyrrha stood next to him, hand on his back. Jaune lurched again, another eruption of half-digested food. Pyrrha looked away until he was done. Ruby didn't know whether to laugh or feel bad. Probably both.

"I hate boats," Jaune commented weakly. Pyrrha tried to comfort him with another pat on the back. All this seemed to do was upset his stomach, causing a third upchuck.

Ruby moved on. Jaune had been sick ever since they departed. Even the old sailor's remedy of ginger pills didn't work. For what it's worth, Ruby wasn't a big fan either. The constant motion didn't upset her stomach, but it made footing difficult at times. How was she supposed to fight is she could barely even walk? Not that there was much need to fight.

Near the middle of the ship were Ren and Nora. Ren stood at the railing looking out at the vast expanse of deep blue. Nora, in typical fashion, was bouncing around him. She quickly shimmied up a rope. Bracing her feet against the mast she held tight to the rope with one hand and leaned out far as her arm would allow her.

"I love _boats_," she called with gusto. She dropped down and sprinted over to the rails. "Isn't this _exiting_ Ren?"

"Well, seeing how we were on a boat just last week, not really," Ren said.

"But that was a different boat," argued Nora. "This is a _new_ one. It's _great!_"

"I'll take your word for it," Ren agreed with grin. Ruby couldn't help but smile as well. This was a perfect example of why the two of them got along so well. Ren was the only person in the world patient enough to put up with Nora's boundless energy.

Up at the bow, Ruby sighted a splash of white and pale blue. She walked along the deck at an average pace and joined the heiress. Neither spoke for a moment, and instead watched the ocean. Waves rose and sank, jagged tops melting away as soon as they appeared. A light breeze agitated the water ever-so slightly, which probably accounted for Jaune's sickness.

"What do you think about boats, Lady Weiss?" Ruby said finally.

"What?" The snowy girl turned to her in puzzlement.

Ruby gave a little laugh. "Nothing, I just overhead two very similar conversation."

Weiss returned stoically to the water. "Boats sink. They make me nervous." .

"You? Nervous?" Ruby joked. "I thought your only mood was grumpy."

"Hey!" Weiss snapped. Ruby laughed again.

"Well, we'll be in Vale pretty soon, then you'll have other things to worry about," Ruby tried to comfort the heiress. Since the words left her mouth, however, they didn't seem all that calming. Quite the opposite, actually.

"I still can't believe this is happening," Ruby continued. "I mean, the Beacon? I'd always heard stories, and I even learned how to fight in hopes of joining, but in the back of my mind I knew they were just a myth. Or, I thought I did." She corrected.

"But, why continue training?" Weiss showed an uncharacteristic level of curiosity. "If you knew your goals were impossible, then why even bother?"

"It's called faith, m'Lady," Ruby responded. "Even if I couldn't join the Beacon, maybe I could still help protect people, just like Yang." She paused for a moment, considering how best to continue. "What about you? Why did you learn to fight?"

"It's nothing quite so bold, I'm afraid," Weiss scoffed. "I wasn't the best behaved child. I always got in trouble, always picked fights with the other boys and girls." She began. Ruby snickered and received an icy glare which shut her up. "The moment I showed even the slightest bit of talent, my father signed me up with a tutor." Weiss's tone changed from reminiscent to proud. "I've bested every teacher and school in Atlas."

"My uncle Qrow lives in Vale," Ruby said. "Maybe you could take a few lessons from him."

Weiss simply nodded in response. She didn't hate the younger girl—which was more than she could say for most people—and didn't want to hurt her feelings by saying she wasn't interested. No teacher in the world had anything to offer her anymore.

There hadn't been much time for casual conversation since the ship departed. Running a skeleton crew meant a lower profile, but also required everyone to pitch in. There was always something to do. However, peaceful moments like this came and went. They were quite nice. The peace was dashed immediately, though, by the arrival of a third person.

"Check out what I found," Yang called from behind them. Ruby and Weiss turned at pretty much the same time. They found the blonde walking over to them, proudly toting a pirate hat upon her golden head. It was black with gold trim, and even had a skull and crossbones on the front.

"What are you?" Weiss raised an eyebrow. "Some kind of pirate?"

"Mm-hmm," Yang hummed approval. "I'm the sexy kind. Yarr, bitches."

Ruby laughed and Weiss face-palmed, demonstrating flawlessly the differences between the two girls.

It was around this time Pyrrha decided Jaune was a lost cause. She hated to see her fearless leader in such a state, and felt even worse that she couldn't help him. Countless thugs and dangerous monsters were no problem. Seasickness, though? It was an affliction which eluded her. It's ironic, in a way. Jaune was such a talented healer, but could do nothing to rid himself of this nausea. At least he had the good sense to laugh at himself. Otherwise, Pyrrha would despise herself for doing so.

The retching stopped, for now. Pyrrha had to find some way to occupy her time until the next fit started up. She liked to comfort him during those times. It helped to ease his misery, and was the least she could do, considering all the times he had helped her. She decided to join the group at the bow of the ship. She had to smile at the sight of Yang. Always getting in to _something_, that girl was.

"You three seem like you're having fun," fire-haired woman commented as she joined the group. There was a moment's hesitation as they turned to her. Pyrrha had to remind herself she had not earned their trust yet. She was still an outsider to them. Then again, so was Lady Weiss. Strange...

"_Fun_ isn't the word I'd use," Weiss commented.

"I apologize for that m'Lady," Pyrrha bowed her head slightly. "We should make land in Vale sometime tomorrow afternoon. I ask that you tolerate these living conditions until then." Flowery language when talking to the Lady. Best not anger the third richest family in the world.

"Is Jaune doing okay?" Ruby asked.

"He's better, but he won't be okay until we get on solid ground."

"About that," Yang said. "What happens when we get to Vale?"

"Well," Pyrrha began. "You'll be given the rest of the day to do whatever you want, and then the next morning you'll be taken to the testing grounds."

"Oh yeah, I forgot about that," Ruby said. "Any hints?"

"I'm afraid not. The tests are always different, so I have no idea what it will entail. But, if you pass you'll be officially inducted into the Beacon."

"Will it be dangerous?" Ruby inquired on what she was really curious about.

"Oh, most definitely." Pyrrha said cryptically.

Her attention was drawn momentarily to the middle of the ship. Nora had climbed all the way up to the very top of the mast, balancing atop the pole. Ren looked up at her with a worried expression.

"Nora, come down!" Ren called up to her. "You're gonna hurt yourself."

Nora ignored him completely. "I'm queen of the world!" She shouted at the top of her lungs.

…

Yang awoke with a start. Odd, she didn't remember falling asleep. The sudden movement caused tremors in her cranium. She went to rub her temples. Her limbs felt heavy, as if someone attached weights to them, made even worse by her gauntlets. Her vision was blurry. Colors and shapes blended together. It honestly reminded her of a bad hangover, but she didn't remember drinking.

Fighting through the intense pain in her head, Yang sat up. Doing so allowed her equilibrium to return. Her vision cleared, and she almost wished it hadn't. This was _not_ the ship. Instead, Yang found herself on the floor of a dense forest. A powerful wind blew through the trees, gone as soon as it arrived. A few birds flew out of a tree, squawking as they went. Yang stayed perfectly still for a moment, eyes and ears alert for any sign of motion.

None. She was alone, for now. Yang got up onto her knees and tried to collect her thoughts. The last thing she remembered was eating dinner on the ship. Ren had done his best with salted pork and stale biscuits, turning them into some sort of stew. Nora told a story about some valiant last stand. Jaune made a dumb joke. Yang vaguely remembered her water tasted kind of funny, but she passed it off as contamination from the barrel.

She flexed her stiff fingers and heard a faint _crunch_. Yang brought the article to her face. A single piece of cheap, brown paper. She unraveled it. A simple note accompanied a drawing of a heavily stylized monkey statue.

_Find the artifact. Return to the ship. Your test starts now._

Wrath seethed within Yang. Her eyes changed from purple to violent red as her semblance flared. She ignited, lighting herself and the surrounding grass on fire. With a yell she crumpled the piece of paper and threw it. The flaming projectile burned up before it reached its intended tree target.

"Those mother_fuckers!_" She screamed. She stood still for a moment. Her breaths came in fast, heavy repetitions. Her eyes darted around, looking for anything to sink her fists into.

It was pretty easy to tell what had happened. Those assholes on team Juniper, or whatever they called themselves, drugged and then left her out here in the middle of nowhere. All that talk about a testing ground was a grandiose lie. This had been their plan for all along. Find the artifact. Bullshit! And to think, she was finally starting to trust them. She actually _liked_ Nora. But not anymore. No, when she got out of this they were all getting a serious beat down. Even Jaune. _Especially_ Jaune.

As Yang's anger subsided and her fire died, something else occurred to her, something that filled her simultaneously with more rage and worry than anything up until that point. She took off running through the forest.

"Ruby!" She called at the top of her lungs. "Ruby!" She was part of the enlisted group, too. If Yang had been knocked out, then so had her sister. "Ruby!" Faster and faster she ran. Her sweet, delicate sister was out there somewhere, alone and afraid. She had to save her, "RUBY!"

Yang came to a stop in a small clearing. She looked all around, searching for any hint of another person. This wasn't working. Who knew how large an area this was, or for that matter how far away Ruby had been placed. They could both run around shouting for days and never find each other. Yang had to think of something different.

She raised her hand into the air. Channeling her semblance, she fired a shot straight up. It made a noise which echoed through the trees, momentarily shaking the very ground. Her projectile flew upward, illuminating the leaves it passed.

Yang took a few shallow breaths. She put her hands on her head in both frustration and worry. The blonde sat down on her haunches. All she could do was sit and give her ample time to arrive.

…

Weiss wandered groggily through the vegetation. With a sneer, she cut down some vines with an ice blade. They weren't necessarily in her way, but destroying something helped to calm her anger.

The _nerve_ of some people! To poison and then drag her out to God only knew where... Weiss Schnee, heiress to the Schnee name, treated with such recklessdisregard, such brutish manhandling. It was unthinkable, unforgivable, _sinister._ She let her guard down, treated these _savages_ as if they were almost equals, and _this_ was how they repaid her kindness? Her father would hear of this, as soon as she exited this godforsaken forest.

Speaking of which, her first move should probably be to figure out where _exactly_ this forest was. Judging by the sun in the sky, it was clearly morning, probably around eight o'clock. Whether that meant the next or not, morning Weiss could not be sure. However, were that the case, then there's no way this could be mainland Vale. Pyrrha herself said they would only arrive in the afternoon, and by what little Weiss knew about nautical travel, this was a fair estimate.

Weiss bent down and took a handful of soil. It was dark, wet, and full of silt. She read a book about this once. That knowledge, combined with all previous stated facts, meant this must have been an island. Okay, that made it easier to find the ship. Now just for that damned artifact.

A sudden noise drew her attention. A loud bang echoed through the forest, somewhere way off in the distance. Weiss jerked her head in its direction just in time to see an orange bolt sail up over the trees. Yang! Of course, it made sense the others would also be in the same predicament. They were all supposed to be part of the test.

Weiss took off in the direction of the shot. If the blonde wasn't in trouble before, she certainly would be. That idiot. Making noise like that would only draw whatever manner villains were on the island, if they had not already found her. Weiss fully expected to find naught but a mangled corpse when she arrived.

She ran at full speed, darting around trees and over felled logs. Sending up a shot like that was an obvious sign of distress. Yang _wanted_ to be found. She must have known the danger in calling such obvious attention to herself, and decided the risks were worth the reward. Either that, or she really was completely and utterly brain dead. No matter the reason, Weiss had to reach her. The blonde was her only sense of comfort in this situation. If they wanted out, then they would need to work together.

As Weiss ran on longer and longer, ruckus erupted in front of her. She could not see it, but several more blasts rang out. She expected as much. Something found Yang and was now fighting her. Weiss quickened up her pace as much as she could, even though it wasn't a lot. Yang was a strong woman. She could handle herself. Weiss just wanted to be there to gain an ally. It had nothing to do with genuine concern, nothing at all. God, she'd better be okay.

The blasts became progressively louder, indicating Weiss still traveled in the appropriate direction. Before long, the sounds of battle were nearly deafening. Each volley of blasts was broken up by a long pause. A classic strategy, let them come to you so you avoid overextending. At least the girl had some sense. She might just live through this yet.

The air resonated with the sound of a blast. The very atoms shook. Yang's grunts and the impacts of her fists were audible. Weiss knew she would be there within a few more steps. Instead of just bumble into the middle of a fight, she scaled about halfway up a tree. From her vantage point within the foliage, Weiss saw the source of all the noise.

Yang stood in the middle of a clearing, surrounded by big black creatures. They were somewhat dog-like in appearance, although mostly resembled great apes with their short hind legs and long, muscular arms. A bone-like structure protected their heads and sharp spines protruded from their arms and backs. They were known as Beowolves, one of the many Creatures of Grimm.

One of the Grimm behind Yang charged, probably thinking itself sneaky. She rounded on it with a downward backfist, quickly following with an uppercut blast. Two more saw this as an opportunity. Yang did a back handspring to avoid a swipe from one of them. She landed and blocked a strike from the other. The blonde countered, punching each in turn. Her attacks were paired with blasts. They both fell after only a few hits.

It was at this point Weiss decided to join the battle. She placed a snowflake shaped glyph on the tree trunk behind her and braced against it wont one food. With a push she rocketed forward, propelled by the gravity-defying power of her semblance. Like a great bolt from a ballista she impaled a beowolf. On impact she activated the Dust woven into her dress. Ice exploded around her, scoreing many more kills.

This sudden movement alerted Yang. She turned to meet the new threat, but stopped the moment she realized who it was. The two girls exchanged a brief nod before setting to work.

Now, among Grimm, beowolves were not very highly regarded. They were dumb and weak, relying on numbers to overwhelm and often losing many of their pack in the process. But even this was not enough of an advantage against two powerful warriors.

Yang and Weiss fought in tandem, doing their best to stay out of one another's way. They largely abandoned the defensive strategy. Splitting the foes amongst themselves allowed them to engage with more gusto. They went on the attack, engaging multiple Grimm at a time. At the end of it all, the creatures were slain without an ounce of harm done to the heroines.

When the enemy had all been killed, the girl's exchanged glances. Weiss was not the person Yang had been looking for, but the extra help was appreciated. For what it's worth, she would have looked for the heiress after finding her sister. Now that the both of them were together, finding Ruby would probably become much easier. Yang just hoped the younger girl was okay.

**Notes: I forgot to mention in my notes for last chapter that I've finally managed to catch up to myself. Expect updates to slow significantly as I now no longer have any chapters saved up. As it stands, I had to end this one here because if I didn't it probably would have been over 9,000 words, if I had to guess. I understand some wouldn't mind, but I'm not comfortable with such a long passage. This was the best stopping point. **


	10. Number of the Beast

"Lady Weiss!" Yang trotted over to the pale girl. "Have you seen Ruby?"

"I'm fine, thanks for asking." Weiss crossed her arms and turned away. Yang gave her a sheepish look.

"Sorry," she apologized in a small voice. Weiss sighed and faced her again.

"No, I haven't seen your sister. I've been more concerned with trying to figure out where we are." Weiss said.

"Yeah, about that," Yang began. "Ilooked around a bit before those Beowolves got here, and I think I—" She would have continued, but a voice in the distance cut her off abruptly.

"YAAAAAAANG!" It called as it rapidly approached, getting progressively louder. Ruby burst through the trees into the clearing, scythe in hand, looking around for any threats. Rose petals followed her in. She'd clearly been alerted by Yang's little distress call, and thought her sister was still in trouble. A look at the dead Grimm calmed her nerves, though. She dropped her shoulders and looked at the blonde just in time to be wrapped in the world's tightest hug.

"I'm so glad you're okay!" Yang shouted.

"I—won't—be—if—you—crush—me," Ruby struggled to say through breaking bones.

"I don't care!" Yang maintained her hold.

"Yang..." Ruby pleaded.

"Alright, fine." Yang released her sister. She dropped to the ground, landing on her feet with a few heavy breaths.

"I see you finally decided to join us," Weiss quipped as she joined them.

"Sorry," Ruby said. "I would've got here sooner but I got turned around."

"I was kidding, you dolt," Weiss clarified. Ruby smiled, instantly relieved. She looked at each girl in turn and her expression faded.

"Do either of you know what's happening?" She asked. Ruby presented her note for emphasis. Yang took it for inspection. It was identical to her own.

"I think it's pretty obvious." She handed the paper back to Ruby. "Those assholes drugged us and brought us out here for our stupid initiation test."

"But why would they do that?" Ruby's innocence allowed her to still deny the situation at hand.

"Hell if I know," Yang shouted.

"Well, whatever the reason, we're not getting out of here until we complete this ridiculous task, so me might as well just do it." Weiss tried to be the voice of logic.

"Or, we could go back to the ship, kick their asses, and go home," Yang argued.

"That would just make us more enemies, and it's not like I don't already have enough of those." Weiss said.

"Alright then, _princess_," Yang snapped. "What do you suggest?"

"We find the artifact and resolve this peacefully." Offered Weiss.

"Yeah, easier said than done," Yang scoffed. "We don't even know how big this place is, let alone where to look."

"Well," Ruby interjected. Both girls stared at her simultaneously. She shied away under their collective gaze. "I, uh... I saw a cave on my way here. We could start there?"

"Whatever." Yang shook her head and started toward the forest. "I don't even care anymore."

Ruby ran to the front of the company and led it through the woods. They walked in an awkward and painful silence fueled by rage and confusion. All three noticed this almost immediately, but none of them spoke out. It would be too awkward. Still, the mood didn't make walking through unfamiliar and hostile territory any easier.

In an attempt to alleviate some of her discomfort, Ruby instead focused on finding her way through the forest. She'd ran at very high speed to reach Yang, and thus didn't see most of what she passed, but some parts looked familiar. A broken tree, a rock with an odd chunk missing, these and other scattered landmarks guided her way.

It wasn't easy, however. Ruby still managed to occasionally get lost in the forest around Patch. These strange woods were even worse. She recalled something Yang said once about how lost people tend to circle right. So, whenever Ruby began to lose her way, she turned left. The flaws in this logic were apparent, but it's all she had.

Just when it seemed they were well and truly lost, Ruby saw something that was very familiar. A rotten log sat concealed by long grass and a few spindly trees. With a smile she jogged a few feet forward. Yang and Weiss followed behind, concerned.

When they made it to the other side of the trees, they found their quarry: A doorway cut into a large brown rock hillside. The hole was almost too perfect, as if man made. No light penetrated past the entrance. It was picth dark inside.

"Here we are," Ruby said with a hint of pride.

"Yeah, that's not foreboding at all," Yang joked.

Weiss wasn't really listening. She admitted the cave was a bit frightening, but they had bigger problems at hand. First and foremost, the question of visibility once inside. Weiss set about solving this. She grabbed one of the thin branches behind her and wrapped it in dry twigs and leaves. While lacking any kind of legitimate fuel, it would work well enough.

Satisfied with her work, Weiss went over to Yang. She held it up next to the blonde's head.

"If you wouldn't mind, Ms. Xiao Long," she said. Yang looked from her, to the torch, and back again.

"If I wouldn't mind what?" She inquired with a cocked eyebrow.

"You know, light the torch," Weiss insisted. "Use your semblance."

"It doesn't work that way." Yang looked back toward the cave. She didn't have the patience for this.

"Let me try," Ruby volunteered. She cleared her throat. "Pyrrha Nikos."

All of a sudden, Yang's nostrils flared with rage. Her eyes turned red and hair caught on fire. The transformation was only brief, but lasted long enough for flames to lick over to the torch. It light up magnificently, a blazing inferno on a stick. Yang turned beet red when she realized what just happened. She looked to her sister with a look of utter betrayal. Ruby laughed out loud. Even the heiress couldn't help herself.

"Come on, guys. That's not funny," Yang protested.

"It's kinda funny," Ruby snickered. Yang frustratedly blew air out her nose and snatched the torch. She led the way into the cave.

The cave entrance was extremely narrow and took a sharp decline almost immediately. Yang nearly lost her footing. For all the fire burning atop the torch, it didn't provide the best light. So, progress down the path was slow as the girls tried not to fall on their faces.

It did flatten out eventually, though. As they walked down the tight corridor, Yang wondered just how deep underground they were. It felt like they'd been walking for at least twenty minutes, and at a constant slope. It might have been close to a hundred feet.

Yang took a good look at the walls as she walked. They were not a solid piece. Instead, the barriers were formed by various smaller rocks all smashed together. The cracks in them were not consistent with any sort of pattern. This was evidence of a clear cave in. Before, the entire spice might have been much more wide.

After a few more minutes, the cave opened up, likely the spot where the collapse had not effected. Gone were the constricting walls, replaced by darkness. The little torch couldn't hope to be of any help in this spacious room. The ends of the chamber could not be seen. Yang wasn't convinced they even existed. All three girls stood on the precipice of this dark sea, hesitant to enter.

"Well, _now_ what?" Weiss wondered aloud.

"Spread out, I guess?" Yang offered. "Try not to fall over?"

The girls naturally went off in different directions, Weiss left, Ruby right, and Yang straight forward. The latter was the only one who could really see, and her vision wasn't all that much better. The other two more or less just bumbled about trying to spot anything further than two feet in front of them.

"This is stupid!" Weiss called from somewhere in the darkness.

"Do you have any better ideas?" Yang shouted back. She was not met with any response.

Ruby rummaged around a bit, bent over to try and get a closer look at the ground. She took a few steps forward and kicked loose a stone. With a yelp she stumbled forward, barely catching herself against a big rough rock. The redhead turned around to inspect the source of her almost fall, and became intensely curious.

The rock which tripped her was not a rock at all, judging by its peculiar glint. It just vaguely managed to catch a few lingering sparks from Yang's torch. It had an odd shape, a sort of smooth and deliberate curve.

"Yang, throw me the torch," Ruby said. The flame reacted to her voice, moving as its bearer turned.

"You find something?" Yang called back.

"Maybe, I can't really see it." Ruby shouted.

After a second, the torch tumbled through the air toward her. Ruby caught it without even looking, too fixated on the object at her feet. She put the torch next to it. The flames reflected brilliant gold. The thing was an intricately carved statue. Although highly stylized, it somewhat resembled some sort of cat... or maybe, a monkey!

"Hey guys, I think I found it!" Ruby yelled excitedly into the chasm.

"For real?" Yang shouted back.

"Yeah, it looks just like the picture! I'd check but my hands are full." Ruby stood straight and turned around. What she saw froze her in her tracks.

"Don't bother, we can just look when we get back outside," Weiss reasoned.

"That works for me," Yang agreed. "Come on, Ruby." The younger girl did not respond. "Ruby?" Yang looked at her sister, and saw what gave her such pause.

A giant, red eye started directly at Ruby. Its pupil was vertical, like a cat's eye. It glowed with an eerie luminescence. It did not blink, nor move in any way, simply gave the girl a dead-focused glare.

"Ruby!" Yang's call was now cautionary, instead of inquisitive. The girl backed away slowly, trying not to disturb it.

"I think we should get out of here..." Ruby whispered harshly as she retreated. The eye blinked. That was all it took. "RUN!"

"Get the fuck out!" Yang echoed.

In one motion, all three girls bolted for the exit. They never looked back, never did anything else except run. All that mattered was leaving. Strange, it took them so long to get down there, but they managed to exit the cave in seemingly no time at all.

Once outside, they all paused to catch their breath. Weiss leaned against a tree. Yang braced her hands against her knees. Ruby sat cross-legged. All three panted. It wasn't the run which exhausted them, but sheer terror.

"Do you think we got away?" Ruby wheezed.

"Did you see the _size_ of that eye?" Weiss reasoned. "Whatever it is must be massive. There's no way it could fit through such a small—"Weiss cut off when the top of the hill exploded into little chunks. A red-eyed monster flew straight up, out of the wreckage. "Oh, fuck me," the heiress muttered, garnering a flabbergasted look from Ruby.

The giant beast leveled out and circled overhead. It had two gigantic wings, black as night, formed by thin membranes anchored between long fingers, just like a bat's wing. Pitch dark, spiny scales covered its entire body. Its long tail ended in a sharp point like a spear. Long, deadly talons extended from the five toes at the end of its four strong legs. Finally, the beasts head was attached to a long serpentine neck. A powerful reptilian snout formed its jaw and two horns extended from the back of its head. This was a beast of legend, something old and reclusive, with a thirst for treasure.

"Is that a fucking _dragon!?_" Yang exclaimed. "You've got to be _kidding_ me!"

"Come on!" Weiss took her by the wrist and pulled her along for a few moments. The girls ran away from the cave and into the woods, Ruby in front and Yang bringing up the rear.

They rushed through the forest while the dragon soared overhead. Yang dodged rocks and trees, trying to simultaneously watch the dragon and the path ahead of her. It was difficult to see it through the leaves. Black scales silhouetted against the shadow cast down by the foliage. Visual on the thing came and went in little clips as it briefly caught a break in the trees.

It let out a mighty roar and straightened, flying low and parallel above the girls. Each flap of its mighty wings sent gusts down through the branches. It was loud and hard to run through. Yang recognized this attack pattern. Birds of prey do something similar when tracking down their next kill. She couldn't allow that to happen.

Yang began firing wildly up at the monster. Weiss imitated her. Concussive blasts and sharp icicles filled the air. Most missed, and those that hit simply bounced off, but doing damage wasn't the goal. They needed to make it wave off, to at least scare it long enough to buy some time. The dragon took the barrage for a few seconds. It might not work. This could be the end. Thankfully the Grimm growled and turned away. It assumed a circling flight pattern. The safety wouldn't last long. Dragons were smart, especially for Grimm. It would think of something.

The girls came to a large open clearing. The instinctively aligned themselves in a triangle. Yang and Weiss fired up at the dragon circling around above them, while Ruby watched it fly. This cyclical motion made it even harder to hit than before. Only the occasional projectile made contact, and they weren't any more useful this time around.

"This isn't working!" Weiss called.

"Yeah, no shit!" Yang snapped back.

They continued to assault it for a few moments to no avail. It must have realized these tiny missiles meant it no harm, because it made a sharp turn and straightened out. The dragon now barreled toward them. A splash of pale blue lit up at the base of its long neck. Yang's heart sank.

"Look out!" She yelled, diving left. Ruby dove to the right, but Weiss stayed perfectly still.

Yang looked up at the heiress. She wanted to yell something, to try and save her, but it was too late. The dragon let out its icy cold breath, buffeting Weiss with blistering frost. She completely disappeared within the storm. Yang's world stopped as she waited to confirm what she already knew.

The attack lasted only a few seconds before the dragon was again out of range. Its engagement ceased, leaving behind a localized fog. It was impossible to see inside, but there was a dark shape within the frost. As the fog lifted, the shape took on color. Weiss crouched down on one knee, surrounded by her glyph snowflakes. She was shaken, but otherwise unharmed. When the cold left, she cleared the glyphs and stood.

Yang ran over to her, "Lady Weiss!"

"I'm okay." Weiss batted the air in Yang's direction. Ruby joined them. "We can't fight it from here. We need to bring it down."

"Oh, I'll bring it down, alright," Yang sneered.

"Yang, wait!" Ruby reached out to stop her sister, but it was too late.

The blonde took off. She bounced between two trees, kicking off to gain speed and height. Each bound was assisted by a blast from her semblance. It was loud, but effective. Within no time at all she had scaled to the top of the left tree.

From here she could see everything. For the first time she could absolutely confirm they were, indeed, on an island. Water and trees stretched in every direction. A few tropical birds flew out of the branches, startled by the fight. To the east, Yang spied the ship. This made her mad enough to light on fire. It was exactly the motivation she needed to kill a dragon.

Speaking of which, the beast continued to circle the clearing. Doubtless, it already saw her. Yang watched it fly, taking a moment to analyze both its speed and trajectory. It seemed to be pretty constant in both regards. A creature that size probably couldn't achieve the same aerial acrobatics as, say, a hummingbird.

Yang locked in her plan. She pointed her gauntlets at the tree below her and fired both at the same time. The force of the double blast sent her skyrocketing. Like an arrow she flew, straight and narrow to her destination. She looked to her left. The dragon had not changed course. She sped forward. At this rate, they would surely collide.

Closer and closer they came. The gap between them narrowed drastically with each passing second. Every time Yang began to slow, another blast propelled her further forward. Everything was perfect. The wind, her speed, everything. This would work. Yang would bring the monster down. Everything went according to plan... until it didn't.

When Yang was just a hair's breadth away, they dragon completely shifted momentum. It arched its back. With a powerful flap of its wings, the beast stopped in the air almost entirely. Yang's eyes tripled in diameter. It was too late to adjust her course. The dragon whipped around, lashing out with the horns on its head. They collided with Yang straight on.

The blonde plummeted to the ground, straight back the way she came. The hit dazed her. She couldn't think clearly. Yang hit the trees hard, snapping one trunk into pieces. She tumbled through the wood. Each impact changed her orientation, and also slowed her down a bit. With such constant movement and jostling, there was no hope for her to recover. The ground fast approached. Yang closed her eyes; braced for impact.

Instead of slam into the dirt, she just sort of... stopped. It felt like falling onto a soft mattress. It didn't even hurt. If anything, it was kind of fun. Yang opened her eyes. She lay face down on a giant snowflake. The blonde turned her head and saw Weiss standing several feet away, arm outstretched. This was one of her glyphs. The heiress saved her life. Yang smiled. That debt was repaid. She was about to thank her when Weiss disengaged the glyph. Yang dropped to the ground with an _oomph._

Seeing all of this transpire gave Ruby an idea. The way Yang propelled herself, the gravity defying properties of the glyphs, it all came together like clockwork in her head. She ran the few steps to catch up with Weiss and Yang.

"I have a plan!" She said enthusiastically.

"Is it a good one?" Weiss asked.

"Nope!" Ruby smiled. "Lady Weiss, put a glyph right here pointing upward." The younger girl began. Weiss wore a look of confusion, but complied. "Yang, stand over here," Ruby physically positioned the blonde directly behind and to the right of the glyph. "You're gonna hit the glyph as hard as you can when I pass." With that, Ruby sped off into the distance, trailing rose petals.

"What are you..." Yang called after her. A sudden realization hit the blonde. "Oh!" She slowly turned to Weiss. "Brace yourself."

Ruby put a few hundred feet between herself and the glyph. She needed ample space to build up speed. This would only work if she were going as fast as she possibly could. And even then it might not. She wasn't joking when she said it was a bad idea.

She turned on the ball of her foot, cape flourishing out around her as she spun. She raised her foot, ready to run again. For a brief moment, in-between speed bursts, the world slowed down. A moment of clarity washed over her. Ruby knew exactly what to do. It was over in a flash, however. As soon as her foot hit the ground, she vanished completely. The only signs of her continued presence where the delicate petals.

Scenery blurred. It lost all shape and definition. Sound left from the world. The air rushed by so swift it did not register. Even color became just noise. Only speed existed. Ruby was speed. The fastest she'd ever gone, but it wasn't enough. Ruby pushed her body to its utmost limits, begging for more velocity. She could see her goal before her, the other two girls who stood in waiting for her. This entire plan would depend mostly on their timing.

In great contrast to Ruby herself, the next few moments moved as if in slow motion. Ruby approached the glyph on the ground. Yang pulled her fist back. Weiss concentrated on maintaining the platform and prepared for impact. Yang swung an uppercut for the base of the glyph, channeling as much of her semblance as she could. Ruby jumped up and forward. Her feet touched the top of the glyph. She pushed off at the exact same time as Yang's fist impacted the bottom.

A loud bang shook the forest as all three semblances collided. A flash of orange and blue sent Yang and Weiss onto their rumps. Ruby was nowhere to be found, yet a streak—red like roses—shot across the sky.

Ruby flew through the atmosphere, so fast she was almost invisible to the naked eye. She didn't even have a second to properly align herself, but to her it felt like a lifetime. The world seemed barely to move at all. Even the clouds squeaked by. Nothing had ever moved this fast before, and nothing ever would again. Her name was Ruby Rose, and she was the fastest girl alive.

Her target came into view. Seeming to move at such a slow speed the dragon looked absolutely ridiculous; long neck, big head, and comparatively short legs, it was an abomination. All abominations had to be killed, starting with this one.

The beast never even knew what hit it. Ruby turned herself around in mid-flight. She laid her body out perfectly flat and pointed her scythe downward. The blade met with the dragon's right wing halfway between the joint and first long finger. It cut clean through the fleshy membrane like a hot knife through butter. Not even the bone ridge it was attached to could resist Ruby's attack. It sliced with little resistance. The dragon was disabled, but Ruby was not in the clear yet. She caught herself by digging the tip of her blade into the creature's neck. Finally, she met something solid enough to stop herself.

The dragon buckled at her impact. Its entire body folded up as it plummeted toward the ground. It tried desperately to flap its gimped wings, but to no avail. They were going down. Ruby kept her scythe firmly in place and held on for dear life. This would be quite the crazy ride.

Trees snapped under the immense weight of the dragon. It toppled through the branches and trunks, hardly effected by their mass. Each impact sounded like a crash of thunder. But it only lasted a short while. The dragon cleared the treeline in seconds and smashed into the ground. It skidded along the dirt, digging a trench with its titanic body. Trees and rocks were upturned as they met the bulging mass of earth created by the beast.

After a few dozen feet of sliding it came to a stop, the landscape forever altered by its crash landing. As soon as she stopped moving, Ruby extracted her weapon and jumped off. She ran around the front of the beast, ready to fight it. She hadn't realized just how big it was until that very moment. If Ruby laid down, she could probably fit inside one of its massive feet.

It began to right itself, and Ruby gulped. Taking this thing alone would be difficult, it not impossible. Even on the ground, it was still dangerous. Thankfully, she would never have to find out if she could have defeated it. Yang and Weiss burst through the trees. They must have started running the moment they recovered. The three girls exchanged quick nods before leaping into action.

Weiss jumped up high, spinning as she struck at the creature's jaw. It flinched at the impacts of her ice sword, but was not overly hurt. It snapped at her and she blocked with a glyph, allowing herself to be sent back down by the force of the blow.

Ruby used this chance to get underneath it. She slashed repeatedly at its leg in an attempt to further disable the beast. Her strikes did almost nothing. Dragon scales were much harder to cut through than wings, apparently. It tried to blast icy breath at her, but she tumbled away at the last moment.

Yang could see this wasn't working. Just like any armored opponent, its weak points needed to be priority. Although she didn't know much about dragon anatomy, one obvious spot presented itself. Yang quickly climbed her way up the beast, using its scales as handholds. She grabbed onto its intact wing and swung herself up on its back. From here she charged forward along the dragon's neck. At its head, Yang dropped down. With one hand on the dragon's left horn, she hung over its side.

With her other fist, Yang began her assault. She punched the dragon in its big, red eye. A semblance blast accompanied her strike. She came again, hitting the same spot. Yang punched the beast as hard as she could, channeling all of her rage into each strike. The dragon didn't even try to shake her off. It was in too much pain to do anything at all other than stand there and take the punishment.

Again and again Yang struck. On the fifth punch, the eye gave way completely. Yang's fist punctured the soft flesh, embedding into the gelatinous orb. She paused for a second, revolted beyond words. However, she realized this was her chance. Yang let loose one final blast. The shock wave from her attack traveled through the dragon's head and out its other eye. Chunks of flesh spewed out from the wound, accompanied by copious amounts of the black smoke Grimm bleed.

With a final writhe the dragon collapsed. Its giant head boomed against the ground. Yang jumped off just before impact. The dragon did not move. It lay limp on the ground. Yang rejoined the other two girls. All three of them stared silently at it for a moment.

"Is it dead?" Ruby said finally.

"Yeah, I think its dead," Weiss confirmed.

Yang did not comment. She was too disgusted; not with the kill, but the entire situation. Her words didn't matter anymore.

"Yang, where are you going?" Ruby called after her.

"Back to the ship," Yang did not look back. "I saw where it was."

"But, what about the artifact?" Asked Ruby.

"Fuck the artifact. I have more important things to do." Yang disappeared into the trees. Ruby and Weiss hesitated before following her.

They traveled in silence. Yang squared her shoulders and walked with purpose. The other girls gave her a wide birth. She was obviously quite angry. They had no idea. Angry did not even _begin_ to describe what Yang felt.

The walk itself was quite uneventful. Normally, the creatures of Grimm would be drawn by such intense anger as the blonde displayed, but they did not come. Perhaps the sound of a dragon fight scared them off. Or, they simply had the good sense to avoid Yang in that moment.

After what must have been a few miles of walking, team JNPR and the boat finally came into view up ahead on the beach. It seems Yang's memory wasn't perfect. The sight of them filled her with yet more rage. She increased her stride over to them, walking with purpose. They had a lot of questions to answer.

When the girls were close enough, Pyrrha waved to them. This just made Yang even madder. So calm, so friendly, after all that? Her arrogance really got on the blonde's nerves, but this took the cake. Yang decided to zero in on the fire-haired woman. She would be the first to receive her punishment.

"Hello, everyone!" Pyrrha greeted when they were within easy talking distance. "Did you recover the artif—" Yang cut her off with a sharp punch to the jaw. Pyrrha went to the ground face first.

"We found the _dragon_ you _fucking WHORE!_" Yang screamed. She rolled Pyrrha over and lifted her by the collar.

"Yang," Jaune tried to stop her. She pointed a gauntlet at him.

"Stay back, blonde boy. You're next." Yang warned. Jaune froze and looked at her with fear. Yang returned to questioning Pyrrha. "Give me one good reason not to bash your fucking head in."

"Because it was my idea!" Jaune blurted.

This caused Yang, Ruby, and even Weiss to pause for a moment. All three looked at him in disbelief. Did Yang really hear him right? She dropped Pyrrha—who landed on her feet—and slowly made the few steps over to Jaune. He was beyond afraid, but stood his ground. There's no telling what Yang was about to do to him. She could be a bit unpredictable when riled up.

"Jaune," she breathed. "This was _your _idea?"

He couldn't look her in the eye. "Yes. This is how the Beacon tests its initiates. I decided on the location, and I decided on the time. Ren chose the artifact, though." Jaune quickly tried to deflect some of the wrath. It didn't work.

"And the dragon? Was that also your doing?" Yang asked.

"Well, no," Jaune fidgeted. "I didn't think it would have found the artifact so quickly.

"But you knew it was here." Yang stated. Jaune only nodded. "That doesn't make it any better!" Yang threw her hands up in the air and turned away. She rounded on Jaune again after a second. "After all we've been through, you do _this _to me? I trusted you, Jaune. I thought we were friends."

"We _are _friends," insisted Jaune.

"No, we're not. Friends don't do this to each other."

"Yang, be reasonable," Ren decided to enter the fray. Yang turned on him.

"Reasonable? Reasonable!" She repeated in disbelief. "You _lied _ to us. You almost got us killed. And you want me to be _reasonable_?"

"And you knew the risks," Ren fired back. "Come on, Yang, you're a smart girl. You knew the test would be dangerous."

"This is _different_, Ren."

"It's standard procedure." For the first time since knowing him, Ren raised his voice. Yang was so shocked, she actually let him continue. "Even if we'd taken you all the way to Vale and allowed someone else to conduct the test, it would have been the same thing.

"Ren..." Jaune cautioned.

"There's no point hiding it from them anymore," he barked before continuing. "Pyrrha lied to you when she said the test is always different. The locations differ, but the method is the same. You would have been drugged and deposited in the middle of nowhere with an artifact to find. That's how we were tested, and it's how every initiate since the beginning of the Beacon has been tested."

"What's your point here?" Yang asked. "You're not making your organization sound any better right now." Indeed, it was quite the opposite.

"My point is, we were looking out for you. Jaune chose this location because he knew you could handle it. That dragon was young and weak, you know it. If someone else had conducted the test, it could've been ten times worse. We know this island. Placing the test here allowed us to control the variables." Ren took a deep breath. "The test is always dangerous, there's no avoiding that. Jaune was simply trying to give you the best chance of getting out alive." Ren had to stop himself here. He could have gone on, but to do so may moot his point. He was usually not so long winded.

Once again, Yang was confounded. All these new revelations in such a short time rattled her brain. She quite honestly didn't know what to think, or how to react. All she could do was look at Jaune with an expression so blank and befuddled, it would have been comical at any other time.

"Jaune—" She began.

"It's all true, Yang," he cut her off. "Every bit of it."

"Then why didn't you just say that in the first place?" Weiss threw her bit into the mix.

"Because we're not supposed to divulge operational information to initiates," Jaune said. He scratched the back of his head. "But I guess most rules don't apply on the battlefield." His words resonated with Yang. That was one of the first things she told him when he started on the Patch town guard. It was how she justified doing things her own way.

She turned on Pyrrha next, but this time with much less ill intent. "Why lie to us about the test?"

"Like Jaune just said, we can't give you any information that would give you an advantage. That wouldn't be fair." Pyrrha explained. "Saying we don't know what the test will be is the easiest way to avoid doing it."

None of this information helped put Yang's mind at ease. She needed a second opinion, someone to help change her point of view. There was one person she could turn to; a person who was always honest and saw the good in people whether it actually existed or not.

"Ruby," she turned to her little sister. "What do you think about all this?"

The younger girl didn't respond immediately. She took a moment to think long and hard about the entire situation. Ruby scrunched her face in concentration. Even in difficult positions like this, she was always absolutely adorable.

"Tell us about your test," Ruby uttered after a moment.

"What?" Of all the things the younger girl could have said, this did not register on Pyrrha's radar.

"Tell us about your test," repeated Ruby. "If you went through this same process, then you must have had a similar test. If you tell us about it, that would make it easier to believe you." She finished. Yang just smirked. Ruby's innocence usually got her into trouble, but sometimes it allowed her to say exactly the right thing.

"Ooh, our test was _great!_" Nora burst through her friends. "There were, like, twenty Ursai but I killed them all, and then Ren showed up, and there was a temple, and—"

"Nora, please," Pyrrha stopped the girl with a gesture. Nora sank back, dejected. "Our test was conducted by one of the leaders of the Beacon. Just like you we were drugged, and they took us out to a place called the Emerald Forest."

"I know that place," Weiss interjected. "It's between the mountains and Vale city. It's supposed to be teeming with Grimm."

"That's the place," Pyrrha confirmed.

"So, what did you do?" Yang moved the story forward.

"Well, our objective was to get a _relic_, but my main concern was finding everyone. I found Jaune stuck in a tree, and then we came upon a cave." Pyrrha said. At the sound of his name, Jaune inspected the ground abashedly. "We went inside to look for the relic and instead we found a Deathstalker. It chased us all the way to a clearing with a temple, and that's where we found Ren and Nora."

"We fought off a few Ursai and just happened to be there when they showed up," Ren explained.

"Jaune came up with a plan to kill the Deathstalker, we recovered the relic, and met our instructor on a cliff." Pyrrha finished the abridged version of the story.

"What was the relic?" Ruby inquired.

"I giant gold castle!" Nora said.

"A chess piece," Ren corrected. "It was a big chess piece."

"And who was this _instructor_ of yours?" Weiss asked. All four members of JNPR exchanged a quick glance.

"We probably shouldn't say." Jaune answered. Weiss just shrugged. That was fair enough.

Yang palmed her forehead. "Even _if_ I believed you, even if I wasn't mad—which I am—what makes you think I still want any part of this."

"Nothing," Pyrrha said simply. Yang's expression immediately softened. "After all this, you'd have every right to turn away, and you still can. The choice to join us is still yours. No one can take that away from you. Just remember, the Beacon has operated like this for a very long time. Most people who make it this far decide to stick it out."

Yang sighed. She didn't expect such a leveled and responsible answer. She didn't expect the right to choose. Most secret societies would force them into joining after passing their initiation, and especially after finding out so much about the organization itself. But the Beacon was different. They still had the chance to walk away, almost as if the Beacon knew its practices were a bit shifty. Yang respected that level of integrity.

She turned to Ruby and Weiss. "What do you think about all this?"

"It's still my dream to join the Beacon," Ruby said after a moment's hesitation. "That hasn't really changed. Now that I finally have the chance, I think I need to take it."

Yang nodded. "Weiss?" She moved on. The heiress looked away in a dignified manner, probably offended by the lack title to accompany her name. She dropped the act quickly, though.

"I'd by lying if I said I wasn't interested." She looked at Yang. "I sent word to my father about all this before we left. A lady never goes back on her word."

"Well, I guess that settles it, then." Yang turned back to JNPR with a malicious smile. "Count us in."

"Yay!" Nora exclaimed, wrapping Yang in an unsolicited hug.

**Notes: Another long one. All parallels with the entrance exam from the show are completely intentional. The dragon fight was originally a swarm of spider Grimm, but I've done too many hordes of things and I wanted change it up. Calling back to the source material seemed like a natural choice. Also, I find a cursing Weiss utterly hilarious**


	11. Skirmishers

A sweltering midday sun rose over the city of Vale. To those going about their business, it was an average day. Children played in the streets. Criers hawked their agendas. People filled the streets, walking here and there. Occasionally, someone would enter or exit a bustling shop where workers tended to their needs. No one had any reason to believe there was anything wrong.

And, for once, Blake agreed with them. She sat silently in her small city tenement. Kinder people may describe the space as quaint, but that wasn't the word which came to mind for most. It was one room; sitting area, bedroom, and dining area all stuffed into the same rectangle. The walls yellowed with age. What used to be decorative paper peeled off them.

Blake absolutely hated it. She could afford better, but low-income housing provided good cover. Flying under the radar was a must in her line of work. She had been offered, on multiple occasions, the apartment over the book store, but that was impossible. Doing so would endanger not only Tukson, but everyone who entered the premises.

So, Blake settled for her modest accouterments. The life led by warriors was often one of strife; especially when the public perceived said warrior as a criminal. They could think whatever they wanted. Her crusade was not about them.

Blake flipped idly through a thick black book. It was a fascinating read, a story about crusaders in search of their holy land. Creases in the binding indicated it had been opened many times. A favorite book was exactly what she needed on days like this. Peaceful moments were rare indeed. Blake did everything in her capacity to preserve it.

The slight breeze, sunbeams through the windows, the light chirping of a bird just outside, everything was perfect. And then there came a knock on the door. At first, Blake ignored it completely. Probably some religious nut trying to sell his god. Those types frequented this area in search of disadvantaged desolates to coerce.

When after a few seconds the knocks came again, Blake began to loose her patience. Persistent _and_ impatient? These were traits she could admire, but not when they interrupted her solitude. Just ignore them and they'll go away.

A third set of knocks was accompanied by a familiar male voice, one that made her instantly leap to her feet.

"Dammit Blake! I know you're in there, just open the door," demanded the voice. Before its owner even finished speaking, Blake had nearly crossed the room. She opened the door to reveal a familiar face, trimmed mutton chops and hazel eyes. He wore a hooded poncho to conceal himself as well as possible.

"Tukson?" Blake pondered. They stood there staring at each other for a moment. Tukson was expectant, yet Blake could hardly believe her eyes.

"Can I come in?" He asked nervously, snapping her back to reality.

"Yes, yes of course." Blake stepped aside and gestured for him to enter, which he did. Her friend was always welcome, it was just odd for him to show up. "What are you doing here?" She asked to that regard. "I'm usually the one visiting _you_, not the other way around."

She closed the door and entered the room behind him. His behavior was erratic. He seemed unable to pay attention to anything for longer than a second or two. This raised a multitude of red flags. Tukson's mental armor was infallible. This was by far the most distracted Blake had ever seen him.

"Tukson, what's wrong?" She approached and tried to put a comforting hand on his arm. He turned away, not even noticing her gesture. Blake was a little hurt at the rejection, but more than anything else her mind swam with concern.

"This is huge, Blake," he responded, bouncing around the room.

"What's huge?" Inquired the girl.

"We've never been this close," Tukson continued on as if he didn't even hear her.

"Slow down, you're not making any sense." She finally succeeded in placing a hand on his bicep. Her touch brought him back to his senses. He transitioned from frantic to apologetic in an instant.

"Promise not to get mad?" He winced.

"Well, that depends on what you're about to say," reasoned Blake.

Tukson took a deep breath in hesitation, obviously dreading the next few minutes. "Okay, I was checking out that barn you burned the other day and—"

"What!?" Blake interjected. "I told you not to go anywhere near that place! It's dangerous!"

"I know, and I'm sorry, but I couldn't help it. I was just curious," Tukson explained. He paused to let Blake cool down a bit. She didn't say anything else to him, which could be either good or bad. "Anyway, I was looking through the debris, and I found this."

Tukson pulled something out from under his poncho. It was a small metal trinket, forged as close to pale blue as possible. The design was simple, a snowflake encircled in a thin ring, but the implications of it sent a shock down Blake's spine.

"That's the Schnee family crest," she observed, taking it in her hand.

"Exactly," confirmed Tukson. "Now, why do you think the White Fang would have had that crest in their barn?"

Blake thought for a second. It wasn't a difficult conundrum. "They're stealing from the Schnee family!" She concluded. "That's how they've been getting all their supplies."

"Isn't this great?" Tukson shared her excitement, albeit in a much more reserved way.

Blake had to agree. This was the piece of information they'd been missing, the little bit of edge they needed to take the fight to the White Fang. Now that they knew how the enemy kept itself supplied, predicting its movements became much easier. Child's play, in fact. But, something still bothered her.

"So," she began. "Why did you rush over here? I mean—this is amazing, don't get me wrong—but did you really need to come all the way here just to tell me?"

"No, Blake," Tukson gained an air of urgency. "I came here because there's a Dust shipment sitting at a Schnee family off-shore storehouse. _Right. Now._" He emphasized the last two words by punching his open palm.

The girl said nothing. Her only response was to turn and head for the door. Tukson smiled at her back. That determined passion of hers was both admirable and infuriating. Still, he liked having a leg up on the White Fang for once. As far as he could tell, no one else had this little bit of information. They'd never expect an attack.

Tukson's grin vanished as he realized something. "She left me alone in her house," he mused. His eyes twinkled with malice. "What can I get in to?" The expression faded. "Probably nothing. She'd kill me. I should just leave." He made for the door. "Why am I talking to myself?" He vacated the premises, making sure to lock the door.

…

Blake rowed angrily—in a boat that may or may not have been stolen—through the deep blue ocean water. The grimace on her face deepened with each stroke. In her haste to intercept the enemy, she had forgotten to inquire _which_ storehouse the Dust shipment was at. Of course, this only occurred to her _after_ she'd already checked the first one. There were five in total.

Finding the next two empty as well found Blake in her current situation. The storehouses were reasonably close together—sea plots were expensive, after all—but that didn't really make things any better. All it really did was decrease the amount of necessary rowing. Damn her fervor. Why must purpose be so painful?

Someone who'd never been on the ocean before would never realize just how blasted loud it was. Between the slapping of oars and the shifting of currents, Blake could hardly hear anything. Sunlight reflecting off the water didn't help her vision much, either. She was going into each situation almost literally deaf and blind.

She turned a corner around a large rock. A small island covered in tropical trees slid into view before her. This thick forest provided natural defense against pirates. Anyone sailing by would think it just another island. Other storehouses were similarly camouflaged It was moments like these Blake thanked herself for memorizing all of Tukson's maps. Otherwise, finding these places would be impossible.

The tiny rowing boat ran around on the island. Blake got out and sprinted for cover within the palms. The moment she escaped the roaring waves, she knew something was wrong. It was still loud, but with different sounds. The clashing of metal, the shouts of men, a battle raged close by.

Too late. They White Fang was already here. She was too late. Blake ran through the forest. The situation sounded bad. She had to get to the storehouse before it was too late. Lives depended on her. The future of _Vale_ depended on her.

Deafening sounds of battle rang out as she approached the site. It was horrible. The bloodcurdling screams of dying men shook Blake to her very core. Such reckless violence, such unnecessary slaughter of innocent lives, it sickened her. The White Fang would pay for this. Even if she could not save the supplies, a blood debt would be paid.

Blake made it to the edge of the forest. She stopped, disappearing in the brush. Ahead of her, warfare progressed. The situation was exactly as bad as she feared. The storehouse was also a small plantation. Four separate storage buildings sprung up at adjoining fields. A manor sat back within a walled area behind the fields.

Men on both sides fought within the fields. The whole thing was a messy and disorganized melee. The defending Schnee forces were pale blue clad, lightly armed guards and civilian sailors. The White Fang, however, were proper men at arms sporting various spears, swords, shields, and pad over maille. They were not the lightly armed scout and supply parties Blake was used to. These were professional soldiers.

Blake took a moment to watch the battle, assess the situation. Close to where she crouched, A large White Fang member swung savagely a claymore. He took out one sailor with a horizontal strike, and then swiped the other direction into a second kill. He blocked an overhead and smoothly transitioned into a pommel strike. While his opponent struggled, the big man brought his blade down. Blake sneered at him.

The palm trees provided a disadvantage. Lacking proper and strong branches, they left Blake vertically challenged. Her tactics of using height in her favor would not work. A ghost on the battle field, she could not be. This fight needed a hero.

She locked in on the White Fang member swinging around his claymore. Blake drew her sword and scabbard from her back and dashed at him. Her superior speed and soft boots allowed her to get the drop on him. He ran through a sailor and extracted his blade. All too late, he noticed the threat to his left. The man turned his head at the same time Blake cut it off.

At her sudden appearance, the men were momentarily stunned. Blade took advantage of this. She drew her pistol crossbow in the same hand as her katana and fired at the White Fang, aiming for the most heavily armored man she could find. The small bolt penetrated his eye. He fell to the ground writhing and bleeding.

This kill reinitialized the battle. Both sides closed in around her, shouting at the tops of their lungs. Blake fought alongside her new brothers-in-arms. This conflict was theirs. This blood belonged to them.

A White Fang charged at Blake, attempting to impale her with his spear. She sidestepped, redirecting his momentum to her right. In the same motion, Blake spun around and slashed at a man behind him, slitting his throat. She swiftly kicked two men who tried to attack from her left. Her foot contacted with the head of one, and then the other. While they were stunned, Blake spun around and quickly dispatched the spearman who charged her in the first place. Her swords came down into his back.

She was about to turn back around and finish the other two men, but an even number of her own soldiers took care of them. The three of them exchanged quick glances. Blake nodded and dove back into the fray. The two men did the same, speaking as they charged forward. They probably didn't know she could hear them.

"Who is that lady?" One asked.

"I don't know, but she has her shit together," the other answered.

Blake's presence on the battlefield inspired a shift in morale. They were still hopelessly outnumbered, but her new men fought with determination they'd been lacking before. A good leader was not to be underestimated. The influence of a single great soldier could turn the tides of any battle. 

Both sides experienced quick losses. A White Fang smashed down a Schnee soldier, only to receive a sword through his gut. A sailor bashed in the head of an enemy, but took an arrow before he had a chance for further glory. Two soldiers took on a shielded extremist. He fought well, fending them both off for quite a rally, but a low strike brought him to his knees. A sword entered his gullet. A White Fang knocked over a soldier. He raised his big axe into the air and was about to bring it down when another armored man stopped him with a spear to the heart.

The front line met at a stalemate, and Blake found herself in the thick of it. Neither side gave over ground. This is where most deaths took place. An enemy dual wielder took down a sailor only to himself be felled by a cutlass. A warhammer snapped a White Fang's spear, followed shortly by his spine. Men were dying left and right, but the Shnee forces must prevail. What started out as a suicide mission became a fight. They could win, but only if they pressed on.

A spearman charged for Blake. She redirected his momentum upward with her cleaver, and allowed him to run straight into the point of her sword. Blake extracted her blade, spun around, and brought both weapons to bear upon a second spearman.

A swordsman came at her. Blake gave him a good kick between the legs and then buried her heel in his head. She spun around and struck three times horizontally at the soldier who replaced him. She continued to spin another half rotation. Flipping her katana underhand she plunged it into the grounded swordsman's unarmored neck.

She took a moment to inspect the battle. On all sides men clashed and fell. Although her brothers fought with ferocity like wild beasts, they could not overcome the numbers advantage possessed by the White Fang. They had gained ground since Blake rallied them, but it was not enough. For every sailor or Schnee guardsman, there were two terrorists. This momentum could not be maintained. Fighting on an open field was no longer an option. They needed to negate the White Fang's horde.

"Fall back to the walls!" Shouted Blake over the din of battle. "Defend the gate, fall back to the walls!" She was not their commanding officer. There was no guarantee they would obey her, but she had to try.

There was the slightest moment's hesitation among her soldiers as the order resonated around them. Brief, but it made Blake's heart leap. Then, almost all in one motion, they began to retreat. Their paragon wished it, and they made it so. Every guard and sailor ran like hell toward the manor. From there, they could filter the enemy through the gate, force them to fight in smaller chunks.

Blake smiled. It felt good to command such power, even with such a dire situation. Her jubilation failed, however, as she returned her eyes forward. Up ahead, she saw four of her men fall in rapid succession, as if struck all at once. She ran over to inspect the phenomenon, opposing the withdrawal of her soldiers. A few White Fang tried to stop her, but she cut them down with haste.

When Blake reached the source of the oddity, she stopped to observe it for a moment. A single man fought off two Schnee guards. The others lay dead all around him. Everything about him was strange. For a weapon, he drew only simple walking cane. He wore a long, white button-down coat, black trousers, and ridiculous bowler hat. Ginger hair covered up one of his green eyes. Blake recognized him instantly. Only one man had such a... _unique_ fashion sense.

He struck one soldier over the helmet with his cane, more than hard enough to strike the guard down. He hooked the handle of his cane around the knee of the second and pulled forward. His target fell to the ground. The man was about to deliver the final blow when Blake finally decided to intervene. As his cane fell, Blake rushed in and blocked it with both blades crossed. They locked horns for a few seconds. The man leered at her. Seeing this as an opportunity to escape with his life, the Schnee soldier scurried away, tripping over himself as he went.

Having lost out on his kill, the man disengaged. He took a few steps back. The two combatants stared at each other shortly, sizing up the competition. Blake broke the silence.

"Roman Torchwick, master thief," she said. "Known associate of the White Fang."

"I see my reputation precedes me," the man confirmed with a nod. "And, let me guess. Dual swords, long hair, black trench coat... You must be this _Shadow_ that's been messing with my operation?" He inquired. Blake said nothing, but this seemed the only answer he needed. "That's just _brilliant_. Well, I wish I could say I'm pleased to make your acquaintance." Roman was just a fount of sarcasm.

"So do I," Blake bantered with him, for some reason. Something about Roman made her want to try and match his wit.

"Yes, quite. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some Dust to steal." Roman took a step to her right. Blake reacted immediately, countering his movement and raising her weapons.

He sighed. "Why must we always resort to such barbarism?" Ironic, being that he was currently in a battle. Roman readied his own implement.

The two came together. They did not even jockey for position or look for an opening. They simply engaged. Blake unleashed a flurry of attacks, lashing out independently with each blade. Roman easily blocked every strike. It didn't look like he was really paying attention. This only spurred Blake on. She came at the foe even harder.

Roman only stood under her barrage for so long. He dashed back, out of the way, allowing a pause only long enough for Blake to adjust to his new position. He stepped forward, ushering forth a quick combo of his own. He fought with greater control, however. On his fifth strike her came from a low angle and cut shallowly upward. Blake blocked him high, and in doing so left herself open. Roman kicked her in the knee and, when Blake dropped her guard in pain, clubbed her left shoulder with his cane.

Blake took a few shaky steps back, favoring her shoulder. She could see now why her men fell so easily to that cane. It hit like a mace. What was it possibly made out of?

She did not have time to ponder this further. Roman pointed the butt end of his cane at her. It had a broad hole bored through it. A charge of what appeared to be unstable fire Dust issued from it. Blake could not react in time. She'd never had to deal with such a fast projectile. It hit her square in the chest. Blake flew back a few feet and landed on her spine. An entire crystal. He'd just fired an entire Dust crystal at her.

While she was still dazed on the ground, Roman charged in, cane held high. Blake reacted quickly. Roman hit what he thought was Blake, but in actuality was an afterimage. The real Blake sprang to her feet and slipped around behind him all in the same motion. He realized all too late what had happened. Blake hit him in the back with her weapons. Roman winced and took a hard step. His Aura protected him from harm. He whipped his head around and growled at her. This girl was trying his patience.

They exchanged another blizzard of strikes, but this time shared equal parts attack and defense. Each strike was met by a parry and ripost. Neither side gained any sort of palpable upper hand. Roman tried to change this by offering two powerful attacks, one up and then another straight down. Blake blocked the first and deflected the second to her right. She twirled around and tried to catch him in the back with her cleaver. Roman held his cane over his shoulder to block, and then tried to sling it around into a quick slash. Blake blocked him early, putting him off balance. She delivered a wheel kick to the back of his head.

Roman's reaction to this hit was almost insultingly casual. He took a few quick steps to regain his footing, but showed no pain or hustle whatsoever. Instead, all he did was lazily turn to face her. At the determined look in her eyes, he sighed and face-palmed.

"I don't have time for this," Roman mumbled. He turned and flicked his hand over his shoulder. "Somebody kill her," he commanded of the air. He began to walk toward the manor.

This flippant disregard got under Blake's skin. To simply walk away with such boredom was an affront, plain and simple. Who did he think he was?

"You're not getting away!" Blake attempted to give chase. She sprinted, but only made it a few steps. Something hard completely halted her momentum. It was as if she'd hit a wall. Blake fell back onto her rump. When she looked up, what she saw took her completely by surprise.

An umbrella made from white and pink lace was what blocked her path. It looked like a normal implement, but felt like steel. The owner of the umbrella collapsed it, further thickening the mystery. She was... tiny. A woman, standing not even five feet tall. She slung the umbrella over her right shoulder and gave a mischievous smile. Her hair was dyed two different colors, pink on the right and black on the left. Her eyes matched, just in an opposite pattern.

At first, Blake disregarded her as merely a distraction. How could such a small, sweet looking girl possibly be a threat? She tried to simply walk past the newcomer, and instantly regretted her decision. The girl jabbed her in the stomach with the metal tip of her umbrella, a move so quick it was invisible even to Blake. The force of the blow knocked the wind out of her.

Blake looked at the girl in shock. She simply smiled again and dropped the umbrella to her side. How could someone that size be so strong? It defied logic. Blake no longer thought Roman Torchwick was the biggest problem on that battlefield. No, there was someone much more sinister. She couldn't let this little demon reach her men.

She attempted to engage the girl, but her attack was short lived. The girl intercepted her every strike with movements both graceful and facile. She showed even less concern that Roman, which was saying something. Each block was a deflection, pulling Blake's body this way and that. It was all she could do just to stay on target.

The new girl only let this go on so long. She pulled Blake forward with a skillful parry and grabbed onto her wrist. All Blake saw was a white flash.

Blake's heart leapt as she found herself a few feet off the ground. She flailed her arms as she plummeted the short distance, landing hard on her knees. Hard... the ground was hard. That couldn't be right. As Blake's eyes adjusted to the new light, she realized she was not at the storehouse anymore. She gripped at the surface beneath her hands. It was not grass, but tar.

In a panic, she looked around. This was not a battlefield, nor was it a plantation. She was somewhere far elevated from the ground, an urban area. Wait... she recognized this place. It was a rooftop in the middle of downtown Vale!

But... but how was this possible? To travel such distance would take hours, and yet she seemed to have done it in seconds. Blake looked at the sun. It was in the same position as when she arrived at the island storehouse. No, it simply could not be.

Blake stood and looked around, heart beating out of her chest. There's no denying it, this was _definitely_ Vale. The lingering scents of fish and perfume gave it away. Blake peered behind herself and found she was not alone on the roof. The short girl was also there. She returned Blake's stare with an innocent look and gave her head a curious tilt to the side.

The sight of her slid things into place for Blake. That tiny woman was a teleporter, a person with the Semblance to instantly transmit from one place to another, provided they'd been there before. People like that were exceedingly rare. Some folks even believed them extinct. However, this girl was a perfect contradiction of that. The more Blake learned about her, the more she despised the cocky little fiend.

All of that anger welled up within Blake at once. She held her cleaver high over her head and charged at the girl. Her opponent didn't even have to try in order to avoid the sloppy attack. The girl slid to the left and simply allowed Blake to run past. She kicked her in the back of the knee for good measure.

Blake fell to a kneel, but only momentarily. She wheeled around and came again with the same attack. The girl reused her umbrella trick, opening it in Blake's face. Blake ricocheted off the parasol and flipped over her head, landing in a crouch. She stood and charged at the girl for a third time. Skill and tactics had long gone out the window, at this point. All she wanted to do was hurt the girl.

But she would never get the chance. Like a stage performer, the girl gave a nod and a wink, and then vanished in a bright burst. Blake slowed down gradually as she ran through the spot where the girl had been. She didn't even bother to swing.

She simply stood there for a moment, breathing hard. A wave of emotions washed over her. Anger, sadness, fear, disappointment, even jealousy took hold in turns. But eventually all but one faded. Blake dropped her weapons at her feet, and fell to her knees. She stared up at the sky. Despair gripped her heart.

All those men, the sailors and soldiers employed by the Schnee family. They were outnumbered and outfought. Without her presence there to spur them on, they would all die. Women would be without their husbands, and sons without their fathers, and it was all Blake's fault. She allowed herself to be drawn into a duel, to end up on this rooftop a thousand miles away. Their deaths were all on her shoulders.

**Notes: I haven't written a proper, big battle scene in a very long time. That felt good. I usually write to music. It helps block out other distractions. The soundtrack for this chapter is "Lost to the River" by Bear and Brendan McCreary. It started playing at the same time Blake shot that one White Fang soldier in the eye. Words cannot describe how completely epic it was to start a battle to this song. **


	12. The Journey

Weiss sat in her cabin aboard the ship. Prior to this particular trip, she had not been aware such small living spaces even existed. Her closet back home was bigger than this. Now, in actual fact the room was not smaller than any other aboard the vessel, and that was _exactly_ the problem. A noble lady forced to live like a commoner? The audacity! Her father would hear about this. Actually, no, on second thought. That probably wasn't a good idea.

And another thing, there was absolutely nothing to do. _Boredom_ did not even begin to describe her state of mind. Sea travel lost its romance long since, especially considering she'd made the journey to the mainland not long ago. Even the books she'd packed could not stymie the tide of disinterest. She lay on her bed staring up at the boards, because no other action appealed to her.

Quiet moments were in no short supply. Weiss had ample opportunity to think about her current situation, but taking another chance seemed prudent enough, given the circumstances. She thought of Yang, the bravado and wrath the blonde displayed during combat. It's true the Lady probably would not be alive without her. Rescuer of damsels and slayer of dragons, _that_ was the legacy of Yang Xiao Long.

Her younger sister, however, was a different breed entirely. At times, it could be hard to believe they were even related. Ruby was quite where Yang was boisterous, reserved where Yang went all out. Ruby showed capacity for great kindness. Of course, she was also a genius with that scythe of hers. Such an unconventional weapon, yet she wielded it with gusto.

And then there was team JNPR, supposedly led by that bumbling idiot Jaune. Weiss almost felt bad for the rest of his team, having to pick up after him. He had talent as a healer, but not a captain. Pyrrha fought like a lion, but was gentle as a bunny rabbit, and with a snake's silver tongue. Nora could be a bit overbearing at times, but her compassion and skill knew no equal. Weiss quite liked Ren. He was quiet, smart, sophisticated, and strong. He must have some noble blood in his veins. Such proper behavior was learned, not inherited.

Thinking of JNPR brought up thoughts of the Beacon and of the current adventure. It still didn't seem real. The Shnee family had a few backdoor deals with the Beacon. They were powerful allies to have, after all. But to become a member herself never even crossed her mind. The assassination, the test, and now being so close to her official inauguration, it all happened so quickly. Her mind simply hadn't had enough time to appropriately analyze the circumstances.

And finally, thinking of the Beacon reminded her of the ship, and thus it came full circle. Idly, Weiss threw an imaginary ball at the ceiling. Boredom of such caliber should be illegal. How she wished someone would come save her from this sloshing, wooden hell.

A knock came on her door, and Weiss almost took back her wish. She hadn't realized just how much she enjoyed doing absolutely nothing until it was no longer an option. A sweet little voice accompanied the rap, and Weiss knew her moment of solitude was officially over.

"Lady Weiss?" Ruby's muffled voice seeped through the wood.

"Yes, Ruby?" Weiss sat up, trying to sound as polite as possible.

"We're gonna be pulling into the harbor any minute now. Do you wanna come up?"

Weiss sighed. "Sure, why not." Why was it so blasted hard to say _no_ to that girl?

Weiss stood and walked the few steps across her room to open the door. Ruby stood on the other side of it, wearing a dumb smile. The two of them locked eyes for a moment. Ruby glanced one way and then the other in search of something else to look at, before finally settling back on the heiress. She shrugged. Weiss just rolled her eyes and led them out onto the lower deck.

The two proceeded out of her room and through the long corridor. The lower deck was mostly used for supply storage, but hammocks hung near the back for the crew to sleep in. Upon boarding the ship all the way back in Patch, Weiss had demanded her own quarters. If it were just the girls then it would have been fine, but no power on the planet could force her to share such a dirty and crowded sleeping space with the few sailors who accompanied them. Strange _men_ like that couldn't be trusted around such a fair maiden.

The first mate willingly—_fearfully_—gave up his cabin, which was where Weiss had been spending most of her time. She'd tried to convince the captain to concede to her, but he had just enough strength of will to resist. Weiss allowed him such insubordination, but only because it was his ship.

Light filtered in through the grates above them, illuminating narrow sections of the hold. It was all full of barrels and crates. It smelled of sweat, dust, and just vaguely of alcohol. There wasn't a seaman alive who didn't enjoy himself a spot of rum. That in mind, Yang must have been a sailor in a past life. At least one of the empty barrels was probably her fault, especially after the test. Everyone had their own unique coping mechanisms.

Ruby and Weiss ascended the stairs on the other side of the grating. Weiss shielded her eyes against the midday sun. There wasn't a cloud in the sky. Nary a breeze blew. Seagulls squawked and flew overhead, fighting for food and territory. If not for the humidity, the temperature would have been quite comfortable. It was a beautiful day.

The deck was abuzz with activity. Sailors ran around coordinating with the harbor crew to properly pull the vessel into port. The captain barked orders at them from behind the wheel. Jaune and Pyrrha stood at the far railing on the poop deck. Yang waited eagerly for the gangplank to drop. Nora perched atop the crow's nest, gazing through a spyglass while Ren lingered for her to come back down.

"I can see my house from here!" Nora called from her elevated position.

"I think we all can," Ren shouted back. Nora laughed at him and began to descend via the mast.

Ruby and Weiss joined Yang at starboard. The blonde acknowledged their presence with a nod. The three stared out into civilization for a moment.

"Pretty exciting, isn't it?" Yang commented.

"That's not the word I would use," said Weiss.

"Come on, where's your sense of adventure?" Yang persisted.

"Several miles east," Weiss pointed for emphasis. She didn't like her surroundings. Small, messy, and middle class, the port they pulled into was not a city. This was not Vale.

After passing the test, it was revealed to the three initiates that their true destination wasn't Vale city. Instead, they were destined for the tiny port town of Chideles. Economically, it served only one purpose, to export lumber from the surrounding forest. Most of this resource made its way throughout the kingdom of Vale, but some passed on to Mistral, thus the need for a harbor.

Lumber was not a cash grab like ores and silks, and so the town could only grow so much. It consisted of a single main road, several intersecting streets, and a sparse population of large buildings. Most structures were single story and only a few rooms. The adults who roamed the streets about their daily business most likely represented the entire responsible population.

Then again, perhaps Weiss was judging the place unfairly. She was used to walls, palaces, and castles. This place had none of them. It didn't even seem to have a standing garrison. But, not everyone could live in a city. Places like this were necessary, and the people were often quite kind, unspoiled by the rigors of urban life. Weiss preferred more advanced locations, but no one could say towns like this were necessarily bad places to be.

"You could at least _try_ to have fun." Nora and Ren joined them.

"You're _always_ having fun, Nora," Weiss countered.

"I know," the bubbly ginger smiled.

"This place is known for its tavern," stated Ren. "If you're looking for a distraction, you could try there. Just be back to the inn before dark. We leave in the morning."

Yang shrugged. "Sounds good to me." Both her and Ruby began down the plank. Weiss rolled her eyes again and followed them, but only because she didn't have anything else to do.

While descending to ground level, Weiss looked over her shoulder. She saw Pyrrha hand the captain a canvas bag full of money. It was the second half of his payment for transporting them. They shook hands. Weiss wondered just how much he knew about their excursion. Surely he'd seen the dragon, and heard mention of the Beacon while they all were on board. Maybe part of his payment was a confidentiality clause. Or, perhaps he was a member of the Beacon. Weiss found the latter unlikely. The Beacon was an order of great warriors not ship captains, right? ...Right?

As they walked through the streets, Weiss began to think she may have jumped to conclusions regarding the town. Although somewhat unremarkable in appearance, the town had a certain homely quality. It was calm and welcoming. The people seemed of decent enough sorts. No one here knew who she was. The only thing to inform her status was her fine dress. For the first time in her life, she could blend in.

The three girls made it to the tavern within a short few moments. It sat along the main road, not far from the harbor. A broad front deck greeted customers as they approached. A pair of free swinging saloon doors allowed permittance to the rectangular building. Big letters were anchored to the shingles just above the main entrance.

"The Tankard and Tackle," Yang read aloud.

"What, like a bait shop?" The naïve Ruby wondered.

"I don't think that's the kind of _tackle_ they're referring to," Weiss said.

Yang led the way into the establishment. Weiss's suspicions were immediately confirmed upon entering. Off in the immediate left corner, two women in revealing dresses worked over their clearly drunk male client. Even podunk little towns like this had whores. Although, they were probably more intended for the sailors.

The place was nice enough. The medium wood interior gave a warm greeting. Upon entering, patrons were greeted to a large siting area full of round tables, at the very end of which was the bar. A swinging door just right of the bar led back to the kitchen. Stairs along the east wall gave access to the upper level, most likely private rooms. Again, for the sailors.

A dividing wall about three-quarters of the way through the building separated the sitting room from another, narrower space. A gap near the entrance end of this wall was large enough to permit two people abreast. While Weiss could not see inside here, judging from the smell of tobacco smoke from the area, it was most likely a gambling den.

Finally, along the partition wall was an upright piano. It was old and used, the paint long since having chipped off. Two people—a well-dressed man and a tavern wench—held a heated conversation next to it. The exhaustion in body language from both of them denoted this had either gone on for quite a while, or this exact argument had taken place more than once.

The place was rather full, even for the time of day. Waitresses ran to and fro, tending to the various tables. Patrons ate, drank, and laughed to their heart's content. The bartender engaged them in lively conversation as he concocted their poison. Although lively, it didn't seem too much different from any other tavern. Weiss wondered what was so special about it.

The three girls lingered at the door for a moment. None of them was quite sure what to do next. Thankfully, an employee saved them. She was an adorable young lass with dark skin and hair. The black and white dress she wore was just flattering enough to be considered immodest. She greeted them with a smile and a friendly twinkle in her eye.

"Welcome to the Tankard and Tackle," she said. "What can I do for you?" Good God, she was almost cuter than Ruby.

The sisters hesitated. Clearly, they were not used to tavern service. They didn't seem like the sort to frequent this kind of establishment. As the dignified lady of the group, Weiss stepped up.

"A table, please. Main room," the heiress ordered simply.

"Of course," the waitress smiled. "Right this way." She began to lead them through the middle of the floor. "Would you like menus?" She asked in transit.

"Yes, please," confirmed Weiss.

The waitress brought the girls to a table a few down from the bar, and one column in from the dividing wall. She motioned for them all to be seated. Weiss sat nearest the wall, Yang at the head, and Ruby across from the former. Once they were all seated the waitress quickly handed out menus to them. In typical tavern fashion, it was a rather light selection. Weiss opened the bi-fold. A quick skim revealed it was mostly beverages and sandwiches.

"I'll give you a few minutes to think it over, okay?" The waitress said. Weiss gave her an affirmative nod and she flitted away.

The girls silently poured over the menu for a moment. A few things jumped out at Weiss, but nothing especially caught her eye. Really, anything would be good after eating ship food for so long. A savory fish meal seemed especially appetizing. Of course a tavern in a port town would have an abundance of seafood. She also noted the place did not stock any form of wine.

"Ooh, this sound's pretty good." Ruby showed a menu item to her sister. Yang took a second to read it.

"It does," agreed the blonde. "Are you gonna get it?"

"Probably. I'm still looking." Ruby resumed pouring over her menu.

"When did we decide we were hungry, anyway?" Weiss pondered.

Yang considered this for a moment. "I don't know. Ren mentioned food and we ended up here."

A fair assessment, even though Ren never actually said anything about food. It didn't really matter. Weiss _was_ hungry. They hadn't eaten lunch yet. She just thought it funny they all decided to share a meal without much discussion. Weiss had been spending more time willingly with commoners than she ever had before. What's worse, she actually liked it. She was going native! What would the newspapers say?

Weiss did eventually end up going with the fish. Yang ordered a steak and Ruby, predictably, went for a sweat glazed chicken. Upon biting into her meal, Weiss knew what made the Tavern so special. The food was extraordinary. No, that's not a strong enough word. Of all the courts in Atlas, never had she tasted such tender and succulent meat. By the ravenous way her companions tore into their food, Weiss could tell they agreed. She may have to hire this Chef Ramsey as her own private cook.

After finishing up their meal, Weiss—as the only one with enough money—covered the tab and the three girls took to exploring the streets. They probably managed to kill an hour or so in this way, but a small down didn't have much to see. Soon, they retired to their inn, a quaint little spot known as the Thrice Peaks, in reference to the mountains which rose in the distance beyond the city limits.

The girls occupied one room, while team JNPR took another. Those four were an odd bunch. They had a level of closeness Weiss previously did not know even existed. Their co-ed sleeping arrangements were proof enough of that. While it probably worked wonders for unit cohesion, Weiss couldn't help but scoff at them.

Following the advice of Ren, the girls turned in early. It wasn't even completely dark when Weiss's pale head hit the pillow. She hadn't realize just how sleep deprived she was until she laid down in a bed which was not constantly moving. The moments between settling down and falling asleep were a complete gap in her memory. It was quite likely they happened in exactly the same instant.

...

Now, when Ren said they left _in the morning_ what he actually meant was 3 A.M. Nora burst through the initiates' door bright and early. Choosing her was a smart move. She was the only one loud enough to get them out of bed before they really knew what was happening. It would be an understatement to say Weiss had been jolted awake. She was up and aware in an instant. After Nora finished her joyous bouncing, it was far too late for anyone to get back to bed.

Begrudgingly, all three girls shuffled out their room and prepared for the day. Weiss put on the clean dress she'd packed in anticipation of this day, and brushed her hair to the best of her abilities. She equipped an ice sword to a belt around her waist. It would never compare to her previous weapon, but having lost it in the assassination attempt, this was the best she could do. Mustn't walk into a warrior's hall unarmed.

When she had finished freshening up, Weiss went down to the common room. As expected, she was the last to arrive. It comforted her slightly to see the rest of her compatriots also looked quite tired. In fact, the only one who seemed completely unaffected by the early hour was Ren. He exhibited more or less the same amount of energy as always.

Pyrrha, Jaune, and Nora all sported supply packs of various sizes on their backs. They'd also managed to rope Yang into carrying one. As long as they didn't try to get Weiss to do the same, everything would be okay. She was _not_ a pack mule.

"Cool, the gang's all here," Yang commented as Weiss joined them.

"Where _exactly _ re we going?" Weiss asked, ignoring the blonde.

"We're gonna take a cart to the base of the mountains," Jaune began. "From there we'll be following an old, unmarked trail part of the way, but most of it'll be cross-country."

"We're going into the mountains? Shouldn't we be wearing jackets?" Ruby asked.

"You're Aura should keep you warm," answered Pyrrha. "We won't actually reach the snow cap. It shouldn't be a problem."

Her explanation didn't exactly instill the group with confidence, but she was right. Each one of them had a powerful enough Aura to resist the elements for a few days at least before it started to effect them. Weiss didn't like the idea of going into the cold without a coat, but omitting them would be the most energy efficient option.

Preparations complete, the group set out on the next—and final—leg of their adventure. Fitting seven people on a single cart proved somewhat difficult. It was clearly intended for only half that number. They squished together uncomfortably. Weiss found herself sandwiched between the sisters. If there were any silver lining, it was Yang's semblance flared just slightly at her discomfort. She was warm.

Although in reality quite short, the cart ride felt like it went on much longer than it maybe should have. When they finally reached their destination, Weiss had to stretch quite adamantly to work out the kinks in her knees. She knew to be thankful for the ride, but had a thinking suspicion walking there would have done less damage to her joints.

And thus began the long, treacherous, and tiring journey into the mountain. Jaune led the way. They started up the main path but only for a few minutes before diverting sharply to the right. Weiss hoped Jaune knew where he was going, because she couldn't tell where this unmarked path could possibly be. It was all overgrown and showed absolutely zero signs of recent human presence.

Though true the trail was unmarked, Jaune had neglected to mention it was also almost straight up. Walking upright like a civilized person became impossible. Everyone climbed up on all fours. Weiss let out a silent cry for her dress. So much for saving it. She'd be amazed if it were even mostly intact by the time they arrived.

This was where the treacherous part of the journey came in. There was nothing on the trail to keep them safe, no leads or grappling hooks or anything. A fall from here would be almost impossible to recover from. For this reason, Nora brought up the rear. If anyone fell, she was the only one fast and strong enough to catch them. She had the most important job.

Weiss tried not to look down, she really did, but it may as well have been impossible. Be it morbid or just curious, something deep inside needed to peer behind her. It was important to see where one had been, after all. On multiple occasions she glanced over her shoulder, and each time wished she hadn't. Why must she torture herself so?

The group continued on. Through exhaustion, they persevered. Eventually, the seven came upon a little ledge. They crammed onto the stone outcropping, caring not that it was a bit too small for all of them. Resting on the vertical face was impractical, though possible. This moment had to be used to its fullest. Each one of them downed copious amounts of water and bread.

"How much further is it?" Ruby complained after a long swill from a canteen.

"Not much, on this portion," Pyrrha answered. "This is the exact halfway point before we divert. That's why the Beacon carved this little ledge here."

That didn't make much sense to Weiss. Why would an organization which desired to remain secret build such an obvious landmark? Then again, few people would be crazy enough to actually ascend this trail. Those who did would be too tired to put much thought into the ledge. She decided not to question it too much.

The rest period was all too short. Just when Weiss was beginning to fully regain her energy, Jaune started them up the path again. The party hit a collective second wind as they began. That waylay really did come at the perfect time. Any further, and they may have been too burnt out. These people really didn't do anything on purpose, did they?

As if she'd entered some sort of time vortex, this second portion of the trip passed by much quicker than the first. Weiss still felt the physical effect of the climb on her body, but the seconds slipped by like quicksilver. She put it down to an intense focus. Any dread over her situation faded, replaced by determination to get through it. Ignoring the difficulty of the trek made it seem not so bad.

Jaune took them off to the left this time. There was no trail anymore They followed him closely through the thick brush. The steep incline persisted, but this time they walked parallel with it instead of trying to climb up it. Weiss really couldn't decide which was worse. They sucked equally in her book.

Although, this portion _did_ allow them all to walk upright. It demanded considerably less energy to complete. As such, they made better progress during this portion. It was also much shorter. In what seemed a trivial amount of time, the seven reached a narrow cave entrance. It was really little more than a crack in the rock face, but an experienced adventurer would be able to discern its true nature.

The ground evened out here just slightly. They paused again to catch their breath, but it was brief, only long enough to even their panting. Jaune attempted to lead them through the crack, but Yang stopped him with an indignant word.

"Now, just wait a minute," she demanded. "Last time we went into a cave for you people, we ended up fighting a damned dragon."

"Look at it this way, Yang," Nora began. "If there _is_ a dragon in here, you won't be far from an entire society of badasses to help kill it."

Yang shrugged and gave a respectful huff. She seriously couldn't argue with that logic. Strength in numbers. She allowed herself to be led.

They squeezed through the opening one at a time. Again Nora brought up the rear, but only because they were already in this order. The impossibly narrow course went on for quite a ways. No light penetrated very far into the crack, which was a good thing. Weiss didn't even want to know what her dress looked like. Or her hair, for that matter.

Long after she'd lost her patience, the cave finally opened up. Unable to see, the Lady's only indication of this was a sudden lack of pressure on her front and back. She almost fell over at the change. By the sounds of stumbling which preceded her, Yang and Ruby did the same. It was now wide enough to fit four or five people next to each other. Not a vast space, but an appreciable improvement.

Pyrrha pulled a torch from her pack and lit it with a match, providing the only source of light. Jaune waited to gather everyone and perform a quick headcount before giving the order to proceed. Pyrrha now took the lead, illuminating the gray walls with dim orange light. The confidence in her stride betrayed just how often she'd walked this way. She even avoided rocks in the ground without the slightest glance.

They progressed a while down this path, descending further into the earth with each step. Weiss wondered exactly what elevation they were at. Quite possibly, they made it down below the ledge before they finally stopped. And the uninitiated girls all collectively wondered why they did.

"It's a dead end?" Ruby wondered aloud. The only thing in front of them was a large, solid stone barrier. It blended seamlessly with the walls, forming a rounded roadblock. Weiss crossed her arms. This better not have been a waste of time.

"Not quite," said Jaune. "Nora, would you like to do the honors?"

"I thought you'd never ask!" The girl joked walking to the front of the line.

Nora stopped in front of the dead end. She put her fists together, level with her naval. Her breaths came in deep, even intervals. She concentrated with more intensity than Weiss thought possible for her.

But this only lasted a few seconds. After a few measured breaths, Nora lashed out. In one smooth and powerful motion, she struck the rock with an open palm. Energy resonated from her hand. It shook the entire mountain. This was not her semblance, but instead a concentrated blast of pure Aura. The girls looked on in awe. Such advanced techniques were known only to the most powerful warriors in history.

And the shocks simply kept coming. At her touch, the rock split cleanly down the middle, as if acted on by some mechanism. It revealed a steep set of ornately carved stares; a corridor lit by torches on both sides. They burned with an unnatural green flame. Three jaws collectively dropped as Yang, Weiss, and Ruby observed the spectacle before them. They'd never seen anything even remotely like this. Nora turned to them and gave a satisfied smile.

No longer in need of Pyrrha's torch, Jaune resumed his role in the lead. They descended the stairs, traveling even further down. Weiss didn't care about the depth anymore. Her mind raced at possibilities. How did the rock thing work? What other wonders awaited her? How much further?

The answer to that last question was easy. Quite a ways further. The stairway stretched long, far enough for light from the torches at the bottom to be lost. Weiss could not see all the way down. It filled her heart with curiosity and trepidation. What awaited her at the base of these steps?

After a minor eternity of walking, she got her answer: another dead end. No one even questioned it this time. They simply waited patiently. Again, Nora stepped up. She repeated the process from before, charging her power before unleashing it on the stone. Although Weiss was expecting it, it still impressed her. Or, at least it would have, if not for what the stone revealed as it parted.

Weiss honestly did not know how to quantify what she saw as they stepped into the space. The chasm before her was impossibly large. If she didn't know better, she'd think they were no longer under ground. The only walls visible were the ones right behind her. The entire space was lit by gigantic luminous minerals in the high ceiling, as well as the same green fires which led them there.

At the very end of the chasm rose a stoic and powerful keep, stretching all the way to the top of the cave. It was immaculately constructed. No bricks or gaps could be seen. Instead, it had been carved from the very rock itself. A wide stone bridge spanned a ravine to reach the structure. It clearly dominated the space, but did not draw her attention forever.

Between the entrance and the castle was what really concerned her. Easily multiple hundreds of people went about their daily business. There were streets, buildings, businesses, horses, spindly trees, and those were only the things she could see from the cave entrance. It was an entire city buried underneath a mountain.

"What is... I—I don't..." Yang stammered. "How is any of this even possible?"

Nora giggled. "It's amazing, isn't it? Still takes my breath away..." she trailed off, looking to the keep.

"Welcome to the Beacon, ladies," Jaune said. The three of them spared him only a quick glance, preferring instead to ogle their surroundings.

"I know there's a lot to see, but we should get going," Pyrrha said. "The Master will want to meet you as soon as possible?"

"The Master?" Weiss asked.

"Well, we just call him that," Ren clarified. "He's the leader of the Beacon. It's customary to bring all new arrivals to him immediately."

"Lead the way then," Yang gestured for someone to step out in front. Jaune volunteered. He took them right up the main street.

As they progressed through the area, Weiss began to understand even more thoroughly just how much of a complete ecosystem this was. The place was actually loud with activity. People walked this way and that, conducting various forms of business. The sound of blacksmith hammers against steel rang out from more than one location. There were coopers, carpenters, merchandisers, seamstresses, and Weiss thought she could even see some livestock way off in the distance. This place, the Beacon, was completely and totally self-sufficient. These people could maintain themselves for decades, possibly even centuries, and no one would ever even know they existed.

"I can't believe this," Ruby whispered to herself, even though everyone else heard her. Weiss and Yang shared her sentiment.

Jaune took them across the bridge. Despite herself, Weiss looked over the edge. The black which met her eyes gave her a shudder. She didn't even want to think about how long down it was.

The seven of them came up to the castle gate. The guards, clad in heavy armor bearing the Beacon sigil, stood at attention as they approached. So perfectly coordinated was this operation, the party didn't even have to slow down as the portcullis rose up. It reached its apex at the same time Jaune's foot crossed its precipice.

They were greeted immediately by a courtyard. A lavish fountain surrounded by trees dominated the center of the circular space. Several walkways allowed access to various different towers through the open space. There were enough of them to make it difficult to tell exactly where each one went. Weiss could just imagine the kind of arrow fire they could provide. This place would be absolutely impossible to conquer. Although, she supposed that was the point.

The party entered the corridor at the immediate other end of the courtyard, although many other options were open to them. Every other part of the ground floor could probably be accessed from that area. Not an uncommon feature for castles of this size. It was probably welcome by the copious people who walked its depths.

They space they traversed through was mostly closed in, but slits in the ceiling allowed light to enter at even intervals. There were also a few windows looking out into other parts of the castle. The walls were absolutely lined with doors and entrances to other hallways. At least one of the doors looked into an immense library. Weiss wanted very much to spend entirely too long in that room.

But she would have to wait. Jaune walked them all the way to the end of the corridor. This must have been the very back to the castle. Judging by the size of the structure from the outside, they couldn't possibly have gone much farther.

At the back wall, six guards protected large and ornate wooden double doors. The stood at attention as Jaune approached. They wore different armor than the ones outside. They were clearly some sort of elite unit. Jaune stopped at the doors. Weiss looked around nervously. She didn't like being surrounded by strange, armed men. Thankfully for her, the wait was not long. The two guards closest to the doors worked at the locks and opened them at exactly the same time. Jaune waited in the doorjam.

"This is where we part ways," he said. "Go all the way to the end and stop at the edge of the carpet. The Master will be with you shortly."

Yang gave him a nod before assuming the lead role. She was flanked by Ruby on the left and Weiss to the right. They followed instructions to a tee. The room was a large and narrow space, full of silver and red tapestries featuring the Beacon logo. The rug was also of the same scheme. At the very end, up against the wall, was an ornate throne carved from the rock. Two long torch stands flanked it with tapestries behind. A closed door on either end allowed entrance to the area behind the throne.

The girls walked all the way to the end of the rug, just as they were told. There they waited. Anticipation welled up inside them. They were all quite curious to see who this Master was. He was clearly someone of great reverence. From the way Ren talked, it sounded as though he did not name himself. Rather, he acquired that title from the people. He must command insurmountable power and respect for such an honor.

The left door opened. All eyes turned to it. After a few agonizing seconds, a man entered the chamber. He wore green and black, and toted with him an unnecessary cane.

At the sight of him, Weiss and Yang immediately dropped to one knee, bowing their heads deeply. Ruby, however, did not follow their example. Instead, she just looked around, confused. She clearly missed something here. She made puzzled noises, desperately seeking help. Silently, Yang did just that. She grabbed her sister by the lapel and pulled her down.

"I don't get it, who is that?" Ruby whispered. Yang gave her a mortified look and laid a finger across her lips, the universal sign for shut the hell_**up**_.

"It is quite alright, Ms. Xiao Long," the man said with a velvety, gently voice. "Please rise, all of you."

Yang and Weiss exchanged confused looks, but slowly did as they were told. Ruby lagged a moment behind again. The man continued.

"If you do not recognize my face, Ms. Rose, perhaps you will know my title." He adjusted his glasses.

"I am King Ozpin."


	13. Sightseeing

Ruby stood stunned for a second, mouth agape and eyes wide. Her mind swam, actually incapable of the revelation just offered to her. King Ozpin? As in, the ruler of Vale? But, that couldn't be possible. Why would a king choose to spend his time in a big dingy hole? She met his brown eyes. They were both gentle and intelligent, as if he could see into her very soul. Now that she thought of it, the man _did_ look familiar. Lithe and devilishly handsome, grey of head, dressed in fancy green and black clothes. He reminded her very much of a portrait which hung in the Patch guard barracks...

Ruby gave a mortified _eep!_ and dropped down to one knee. "I'm sorry, Your Grace, forgive me! I won't do it again, I promise. Please don't throw me in the dungeon!" She raced to say everything all at once.

The King raised an eyebrow at her. "And, whyever would I do that?" He said.

Ruby gazed up at him, slightly confused. "Because I spoke out of turn?" She offered.

"Do you think me so corrupt, I would imprison a young girl for simply speaking her mind?" Challenged Ozpin. Ruby bowed her head, regaining her frantic disposition from before.

"No, your Grace, I didn't mean to... please forgive me!" This was terrible, absolutely awful. Ruby had never messed up this badly in her entire life. There was quite literally nothing she could do to make the situation any worse.

To the surprise of everyone in the room, King Ozpin smiled. It was not much, barely even a twitch of his lips, but it instantly livened the mood.

"You are very kind, Ruby," he said. "Please stand. You needn't bow, nor speak only in turn." At his order, Ruby stood straight. All three girls wore looks of deep bewilderment. "Within these walls, there is no rank. I am not your king, and I am not your master. I'm simply a man with whom many confide. In the Beacon, heritage matters not. A_ll_ are equals."

Ozpin took a wise moment to let this sink in for the three amazed girls. To be on the same level as a king? None of them really understood what that meant. Each processed it in her own way. Weiss took it as a great honor. Yang found herself overwhelmed with potential power. Ruby just thought it was super cool. One thing they all shared, though? Not a one of them knew how to proceed.

"I'm sure you all have many questions," Ozpin saved them. "Feel free to ask them at this time, and I will do my best to answer."

"And we can speak freely?" Yang did not hesitate to open her mouth.

Ozpin nodded. "You may."

"Okay, then why us?" Yang said. Ozpin gave her a scrutinizing glare. She floundered slightly under his eyes. "I mean, Ruby isn't a professional fighter, and Ms. Prissy Pants over there probably has other responsibilities." She explained. Weiss shot her an acidic glance.

"Do you honestly believe the Beacon is made up only of mindless brutes?" Ozpin said.

"Well, no, but—" Yang began, but was cut off.

"We are a society, Ms. Xiao Long. A society needs people of all virtues and walks of life in order to succeed. You have all proven yourselves in combat, but that is not the only reason you were chosen. You harbor within yourselves virtues necessary for the continued survival of our cause."

Ozpin looked to Weiss, "intelligence."

To Yang, "bravery."

And finally to Ruby, "leadership."

"I assure you, your adoption into our ranks—while hasty—was no accident." Ozpin concluded in no uncertain terms.

This little explanation quite firmly shut Yang up. She'd never before been in the presence of such an intimidatingly smart and silver-tongued person. Ozpin's political prowess was legendary for a reason. She dared not speak up again, from fear of being made a fool of a second time. In a rare merciful stroke, Weiss decided to deflect attention from the defeated blonde.

"As members of the Beacon, what will our responsibilities be?" She asked.

"That is a difficult question to answer," Ozpin said. There was, perhaps, a hint of praise in his tone, audible only to an owl. "The arm of the Beacon is long and formidable. We are diplomats, protectors, soldiers, hunters, and occasionally assassins. We do whatever is necessary in order to maintain the peace and prosperity of the world."

"And what's all this business about _teams_?" Weiss continued. "Why do Jaune and the others insist on being called JNPR?"

"Ah," Ozpin peered over his glasses. "You get ahead of yourself, Ms. Schnee. I fully intend to deal with operational details tomorrow, after you've had a chance to rest. For now, I think it's best you do just that, if there are no further questions?"

Ozpin paused to give them a chance to speak. Of course they had more questions—thousands, actually—but it was difficult to form them into coherent phrases. What's more, they wanted to voice only the most important of inquiries. While Ozpin may have said rank didnt't matter, he was still a powerful person. Wasting his time would be rather ill advised. So, the three girls kept to themselves.

"Very well, then. I believe Jaune should still be waiting outside. He will lead you to your room." Ozpin said. The girls accepted their dismissal. Each on curtsied—Ruby rather clumsily—and turned to depart. "Oh, and girls?" Ozpin stopped them. They turned expectantly. "Feel free to familiarize yourselves with the city. You will be spending a lot of time here."

And with that, Ozpin really was done with them. Again,the girls curtsied and left. It struck Ruby as they were departing how unnecessary the formal gestures were. Ozpin put himself on equal footing with them, after all. Did he still want them to curtsey? Was he insulted by their insistence to maintain proper etiquette, even though they were basically told not to? Oh God, this was harder than she thought.

Just as Ozpin predicted, Jaune waited for them in the hall, just past the guards. He wore a dumb smile, and looked just the slightest bit bored. The blonde boy waited patiently for the girls to join him.

"So, how'd it go?" He asked awkwardly.

"You couldn't warned us, Jaune," Weiss scolded. "I looked like an idiot in front of the King!" She crossed her arms and gave him a harsh glower.

"Sorry, m'Lady," he shied away. "You know I can't reveal that kind of information about the Beacon, even after you've passed your test."

"Whatever," Weiss dismissed. "Just take us to our rooms."

Jaune deflated and turned around. The four began down the hall, back the way they came. Yang fell in beside him. She briefly placed a hand on Jaune's shoulder blade.

"Don't worry about her, Jaune. It's just her time of the month," she joked.

"Hey!" Weiss stopped. She stiffened her arms and stamped her foot in frustration. After this outburst passed, she began to walk again. "I'm still mad at you for that _Prissy Pants_ comment."

"You're not exactly disproving my point," Yang fired back. Weiss snapped her head away with a _hmph!_

"Now, now, play nice you two," Ruby played referee. "Don't ruin our first day."

"Aw, it's alright, Rubes. She knows I'm kidding, right?" Yang asked of Weiss.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever," Weiss dismissed. That was as close to forgiveness as the heiress could manage.

The group traveled the rest of the way in silence. Now that the shock from the past few minutes had somewhat worn off, Ruby took a closer look at the castle. Specifically, the rooms she passed. They all looked mostly the same, some amalgam of chairs and a tables and maybe a few shelves. A few broke from the trend—obvious dens, and whatnot—but by and large they followed the basic pattern. Ruby wondered what they could all be for. These couldn't all be meeting rooms, right? And they also weren't living spaces. For now, it remained a mystery.

Eventually, Jaune turned them left up a long and narrow spiral staircase. They ascended past three whole floors to end up on the fourth. Just when Ruby thought she was done with climbing for the day, too.

This floor of the castle was markedly calmer than the ground level. What few people did walk by were much more casually attired, as well. None of them carried weapons and only a few wore armor or any sort of gear fit for battle. The atmosphere had a much more accommodating air to it. This was where people went to be left alone.

Jaune took them about halfway down the hall before stopping in front of a closed door. It was several boards held together by iron bands at the top and bottom quarters. It had been cut so the top was rounded. It had a rather heavy-duty brass lock and ring knocker, exactly the same as all the other doors which lined the hall.

"Here you are, home sweet home," Jaune said, presenting with his arms like a salesman. The girls paused for a moment, inspecting both him and the door.

"I'll take this one, I guess," Yang volunteered.

"Where's the other two?" Asked Weiss.

"This is it," Jaune answered, slightly confused. The girls gave him their own versions of disgusted looks.

"We all share the same room?" Weiss challenged, indignant.

"Yeah," Jaune's smile faded. "Teams have always shared living spaces. Didn't Ozpin tell you that?" He explained. All three girls were just a bit aghast by his lack of title for the King.

"He did say _room;_ like, without an _S_," Yang pointed out.

"So does that mean Nora and Pyrrha sleep with you and Ren?" Continued Weiss.

"Yeah," Jaune confirmed. He suddenly wore a terrified expression. "Well, not _together_... You know what I mean. It's not as bad as you think."

"It's _exactly_ as bad as I think!" Weiss exclaimed. "It's immoral!"

"God, nobles are weird," Yang shook her head. "Weiss, it's only immoral if you make it that way. In Patch, the guards all share the same bunk and we never had any problems."

"That's because they're soldiers. It's different," Weiss countered.

Yang crossed her arms. "And exactly _how_ is it different?" The soldier in her did _not_ appreciate the Lady's tone.

Ruby knew where this was going, and decided she didn't have the patience for it. Once again, she stepped in to stop it. She opened the door and then began to slowly push Yang inside from behind. The blonde did not struggle, but made no attempt to walk on her own.

"Okay, thank's Jaune, I think we're all set, gotta go, bye!" Ruby rushed. Once her sister was inside, she grabbed Weiss by the wrist and yanked her in as well. A resounding slam of the door soon followed. Jaune recoiled at the sound. What was _that_ all about?

Yang and Weiss stood just on the other side of the door, surprised by Ruby's sudden take charge attitude. They remained silent, wondering what would happen next.

"Sit," Ruby commanded simply.

"But—" Weiss began to protest.

"I said sit!" Shouted Ruby. Both her companions complied without any further hesitation, plopping down next to each other on the bed behind them. Ruby ran a hand through her hair. "Alright, I know you're both tired from all that walking—I get it—but that's no reason to be at each other's throats. So, just stay here for a little bit and rest or something, alright?" Ruby looked at each of her victims in turn. Their eyes dared around the room, fixating on anything except for the one scolding them. Confident they both understood as well as could be expected, she turned and began to leave.

"Wait, where are you going?" Yang stopped her. Ruby turned back.

"His Grace said to explore, so I'm gonna do just that. Feel free to join me after you've cooled down." Before any further questions could be rendered toward her, she left. The other two women sat in silence, still looking around the room. This time, their short attention span was due to awkwardness.

Their room was accommodating enough, if somewhat meager. Longer than it was wide with two work desks, a dresser for each bed, a small-looking closet, and no windows or wall decorations—lit instead by that glowing mineral from outside—it was a perfectly serviceable space. Quite comfy, actually. However, something about it puzzled Yang. She looked left and then right, trying to puzzle it out.

"These people knew we were coming, right?" She asked of Weiss.

"I think so," replied the heiress.

"Then why are there four beds in here?"

…

Ruby traversed her way down the busy central street, weaving through traffic as she went. It wasn't her fault most people were too slow. She just moved at a naturally faster pace, even without her semblance. Still, the fact that she was fighting traffic underground baffled her. How did such a big hole come to be? Was it already here, and the Beacon just settled it? Then, someone still would have had to carve the citadel. It boggled her mind to consider just how much time, manpower, and Dust it must have required to build such an intricate space.

Distantly, she wondered how Yang and Weiss were faring. It hadn't been too long since she left them, but each could be equally impatient. Hopefully, there was still a room left when she returned. Back when their father was still around, he would make Yang and Ruby sit alone in a quiet room for a few hours whenever they were fighting. It would be awkward for the first few minutes, but they'd always end up playing together in the end, having completely forgotten what they were ever mad about in the first place. Ruby hoped that would happen here. Adults were different from children, though. She may have made a massive mistake.

Although she'd left under the pretense of exploration, Ruby had one particular place in mind. She saw it when walking to the keep. The location was just about halfway between the entrance and the bridge, on the left side. That would make it her right side, now. Just to find it...

Ruby decided to follow her ears. There was a lot of other assorted sound all over the place, but the noises she sought were both piercing and distinctive. A moment's concentration, and she found it! No doubt, these were the emissions she wanted. Tracking through echos like a bat, Ruby arrived at her destination shortly

A rotund, older man stood just in front of his shop. He wore a blackened apron over too-fine burgundy clothes. A glorious silver mustache dominated his face. He worked with a rather standard rig. A strong vice held a red hot metal bar in place atop an anvil. The man struck it at regular intervals with a long hammer. Sparks flew with each impact. Other implements lay close at hand, and inside the shop Ruby could see various completed metal works. This was a smithy.

Ruby recognized the strokes the man made. It was a common step in many forging techniques. Judging by the amount of metal involved, that one bar would most likely become a sword. Technically a two person job, it was perfectly achievable with only one. It just took twice as long. There was another hammer propped up against the kiln. Ruby decided to lend a helping hand.

The girl jogged up to the work area and nabbed the hammer. She stood at the anvil just long enough four the man to notice her. Blacksmiths had a certain way of holding a hammer, an angle and reverence exclusive to their breed. The man must have seen this. He glanced in her direction and gave a little nod.

Together, they pounded the metal bar. Each strike flattened it out just slightly. They did this to pound out any impurities in the steel, making it stronger and more flexible. Stiff blades broke more easily. A broken blade served little purpose in battle.

The two fell into a consistent rhythm. Their hammers fell at exactly the same interval every single time. It was truly a sight to behold, two masters of their craft working together toward a common goal. They made quick work of the bar. When it had been beaten into a suitable shape, the man quickly grabbed it with tongs and shoved the piece back into the kiln.

When the kiln door closed, he turned back to Ruby. They locked eyes for a moment. Ruby was not sure what to say. It did not occur to her until right then that, perhaps, the man did not appreciate her intrusion. She prepared for a possible lecture. This could go very badly. To her relief, it did not. A ruffle of his mustache indicated of a smile.

"You wield a hammer like a champion," he commented with gusto.

"I've been forging since before I could walk," Ruby joked, scratching the back of her head nervously.

The man held out his hand. "Peter Ignatius Port, master craftsman."

"Ruby Rose." She shook his hand. "Um... new recruit."

"I thought you might be," Port stated. They released their grips. "I don't often forget a face. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance."

"Likewise," Ruby agreed with a smile. Port turned around and began to walk into his shop. Ruby followed him. "This is a nice workshop, Mr. Port," she commented.

"Please, call me Peter," he corrected. "Thank you, I do what I can." He had a prideful way of speaking which made everything he said sound both boisterous and distinguished.

"Did you make all of these?" Ruby referred to the myriad of pieces which occupied space on walls and cabinets inside the shop. They ranged from ornate swords to simple pewter trinkets.

"Most of them, yes," confirmed Port. "And what of that scythe? Is it a creation of yours?"

"Yes!" Ruby was suddenly excited. She drew her weapon as gracefully as she could. Port reached out a hand to take it, but stopped midway.

"Do you mind?" He requested. Ruby shook her head, and he grabbed it.

Port inspected the weapon, running his hand up and down the haft, and fingering the blade. He brought the metal close to his face on more than one occasion to check it for inconsistencies. The whole time he handled it, Ruby had butterflies in her stomach. She was proud of her scythe, but never had it been so thoroughly scrutinized by another smith. She prayed he would like it. Port paused for a second, and she tensed up. This was it, the moment of truth.

"Stupendous!" he said. Ruby let out the breath she didn't know she was holding. "Absolutely brilliant work. The only better craftsmanship I've ever seen is my own." He handed the weapon back.

"Thank you so much, sir!" Ruby blurted, taking her weapon. She clumsily replaced it on her back.

"I have often wondered on the efficacy of scythe blades in combat. Tell me, does it hold up?" Port said, genuinely curious. They were talking about weapons! Ruby forgot she'd ever been nervous.

"I think it does," she confirmed. "It works in the same way as a falx, just the blade is mounted differently."

"Yes, of course," agreed Port. "That makes a lot of sense."

"I even thought about mounting a crossbow to the top, give it some ranged capability." As soon as the words left her mouth, Ruby regretted them. Everything had been going so well, but then she had to mention her stupid, childish dreams. Any smith worth his salt could see that would never work, including her. It was just a fantasy. But now, Peter would surely think her a fraud. Or, at least, a shoddy craftsman. She prepared for his apt disapproval.

"Hmm..." he mused. "I like it!" He exclaimed.

"Really?" Ruby couldn't believe her ears.

"Most certainly. A warrior must be flexible, after all. It would have problems with weight, but I'm sure they could be overcome." Port nodded.

"You're the first person to say that. Most just tell me its ridiculous." Ruby shied away a bit, remembering the criticism from her sister.

"Oh, it _is_ ridiculous, but I think that's why it works. Keep the enemy on their toes." Port raised an eyebrow at her when she did not speak further. "Why do I get a feeling you did not come here to talk about scythes?"

"Well, Mr. Port, there is something I wanted to ask you," Ruby admitted, grinding her foot into the floor. All of the anxiety she felt before walking up to the shop rushed back at once. "It's a lot to ask, and you can say no if you want. I'll understand."

"Young girl, a request made in earnest is never misplaced," Port said with a sagely tone. Ruby was not sure she believed that, but it gave her the courage to broach her question.

"Do you think that I could, maybe—when you're not around—sorta work at your forge, maybe as an apprentice or something? I haven't been able to work for a very long time, and I want to get back to it." Ruby could not maintain eye contact with him for long. She knew this was a completely outlandish thing to ask. To invade a man's place of work? Few would even consider such a thing within the realm of possibility.

"No," Port said after a second of thought. "I'm afraid that won't be possible."

"Okay," Ruby wilted. "I thought you would say that." She felt stupid for even asking. She began to take a step toward the exit, but Port's words stopped her.

"Not as an apprentice, anyway. A master craftsman like yourself would have little to learn from me. If forge together, it will be as equals."

Ruby brightened, blooming like the flower which was her name. "Do you really mean it?"

"I don't see why not," affirmed Port. "You will need to provide your own materials, of course, but I would be more than happy to share my workspace with an artist such as yourself. At least until you can have your own built, that is."

"Do you think they'd let me build my own?" Ruby asked.

"If there's one thing this place needs, it's metal. They'll probably make one for you," Port said. Ruby grinned from ear to ear, and he couldn't help but join her jubilation. "Come, I believe I have a spare key for you to use."

Port led her into the back of the shop. Ruby couldn't comprehend how well that all went. No part of her brain ever actually thought Port would agree to let her use his forge. Now that she had a space, she could finally get to work again. How sweet it would be to swing a hammer! And the prospect of having her own shop boiled inside her. It may have been far off in an uncertain future, but Ruby could not wait for the day when she once again had her own place of work.

**Notes: Since I don't know if it's taboo to ask for reviews around here I'm not sure if I should, but I will anyway. I genuinely enjoy hearing from all of you. If you would be so kind, I would much appreciate it. **


	14. Workaholics

The very next day. Early morning, to be exact. The sun had just barely crested over the horizon. Yang, Weiss, and Ruby walked down the castle main corridor, headed for the throne room. They'd been summoned, just as Ozpin said they would. No details of their meeting had been shared, however. All three girls walked with great curiosity in the backs of their minds. What did the King have in store for their first assignment?

Yang may have been the only one not affected by the early hour. Her time as a soldier made her used to rising before the sun. This awakening was not nearly as early as the one from the day before. That was, perhaps, the reason why her companions traveled with a certain lethargy. They'd not had the proper amount of sleep in order to recover their strength.

Weiss definitely felt the morning the most. Her shoulders sagged, feet barely lifted off the floor. She had never been a particularly early bird. Two pre-dawn alarms caused her plenty of strife. The lack of coffee didn't help things, either. She hoped to have at least one cup before setting out on whatever their task would be.

At this hour, a surprising amount of people populated the corridor and adjoining rooms. While noticeably emptier than last the girls saw, there were still plenty of folks going about their daily business. This made Yang think early summons like this were not uncommon. These people had probably grown accustomed to waking at such an hour.

The girls continued on their way. They'd almost reached the throne room. Six guards once again stood vigil outside the room. Although, Yang noted they were different people. She knew how to spot a man underneath a helmet. They were certainly not the same ones from the day before. It made her wonder what the guard rotations were like. She couldn't help but wonder about these things.

Almost as a side point, Yang noticed a few of the guards had some rather distinctive features. A pair of long fangs, small antlers protruding from a helmet, what she assumed were wolf ears, these guards were all Faunus. That made abundant sense. Use people who can see in the dark to police the night. Very smart. Someone in the Beacon understood logistics on a deep level.

The guards remained stoic and still as the girls approached. Indeed, they showed no acknowledgment of their presence whatsoever. Consummate professionals. Their cold energy made Ruby just the slightest bit hesitant. She still felt the weight of her misconduct with the King from the day before. Distantly, she wondered if she was doing something wrong. She straightened her dress, arranged her hood against her back. This would likely be her last chance to leave a good impression for a little while. It had to go off without a hitch.

The girls reached the first pair of guards. The men turned a quarter exactly as the girls passed them. This sudden movement made an already nervous Ruby startle a bit. Yang noticed this. She quickly put a hand on her younger sister's shoulder. It remained there as they passed the second set of guards, who also turned.

Without missing a beat—and in perfect unison—the third and final soldiers opened the doors to the throne room when the guests were about halfway to them. The girls passed through the threshold. Yang's hand left Ruby's shoulder. She could feel the young redhead's muscles relax considerably when they made it into the room. She was probably fine.

The throne room was once again empty. This should have been predictable. These people definitely had a certain way of doing things. Yang should have known this would be the standard procedure. It didn't occur to her until just now, and she kicked herself for it. She was letting her guard down far too much. There were still few reasons to trust the Beacon. She tried to remind herself of this fact.

The air in the room quickly grew awkward. Yang tapped her foot. Ruby looked all around, unable to focus on anything for more than a second or two. Weiss crossed her arms. She was the most patient looking of the bunch, but frustration seethed off her like heat from a fire. If this was how the Beacon conducted all its meetings, it would grow stale real fast.

"They sure like making us wait, don't they?" Yang commented.

"It's _ridiculous,_"Weiss agreed, letting out most of her frustration with one phrase.

"I'm sure they have a reason," Ruby said.

"If it's pissing us off, then they did a good job," scoffed Yang.

That little quip ceased any further conversation. Instead, the girls just waited in differing variations of aggravated silence. This was almost worse. At least talking somewhat took they're minds off the monotony. With nothing to fill the empty space, they were simply left with nothing. As time went by, this effect only deepened. Even Ruby started to feel just a bit impatient. The show better get on the road soon. Yang only had so much time to waste.

But, for all their anger, the wait was not long as it felt. Within only a few minutes, a person appeared from the door left of the throne. The appearance of this new presence confused the girls. They expected the King, but did not receive him.

Instead, the person who came to greet them was a beautiful middle-aged woman. Her blonde hair was held up in a tight bun and a portion braided loosely down the right side of her head. She wore a white riding shirt, black corset, tight pants and lofty high-heeled boots. She was tall and fit, the body of a woman half her age. With grace and purpose did she walk, green eyes glaring over her slim glasses. She commanded the room simply by entering it. For some reason, Yang felt as though crossing her would only end in disaster.

"Good morning, girls," the woman said as she walked over to the throne, bothering not to look down at her subjects.

"Where's His Grace?" Weiss asked.

"Not here." The woman stopped in front of the throne and finally turned toward her subordinates. "As I'm sure you can imagine, Ozpin is quite busy with running the realm. Therefore, most of the Beacon's internal affairs are left to his confidants."

"Okay, then," Yang began, "who are you?"

"I am the Beacon's commanding officer. My name is Glynda Goodwitch." The woman said, looking at each girl individually. "I deal with troop assignments and reports."

"The King said he would be the one to meet us today," Yang asserted.

"Things change," Glynda countered simply. "He had to leave late last night, and so your debriefing fell to me. Any further questions?" She paused for just a moment to let this all sink in. The girls remained still. "Very well, then. I was told, Ms. Schnee, you inquired about the Beacon's method of operation. That's what this assignment will be all about. I'm sure you noticed the extra bed in your room?"

"Yeah," confirmed Yang. "We were wondering about that yesterday."

"That's because our operatives generally operate in teams of four when in the field. These teams are further split into pairs," explained Glynda.

"Like the buddy system," Yang concluded. The Patch Guard had a similar policy. No one went out alone.

"_Exactly_ like the buddy system," Glynda said.

"But... there's only three of us." Ruby pointed out the obvious.

"A problem we seek to remedy," Goodwitch nodded toward her. "In almost all cases, the Beacon watches its candidates for months before deciding who to pursue. You three were an exception, but I digress. We believe we have pinpointed an ideal final team member for you. It's just a matter of recruiting them."

"And that's our mission?" Weiss inquired, knowing full well the answer.

"Yes. For your first assignment, you are to meet with the candidate and attempt to convince them to join our ranks."

"But, why us?" Yang argued in a burst of confidence. "Wouldn't it be better to send someone more experienced, like team JNPR?"

"You are correct," Glynda said. "We usually don't leave recruitment to such new members, but this particular subject may be a bit..." she looked for the right word, "_difficult_ to work with."

"And that makes _us_ the best candidates for this?" Weiss joined in on the discussion.

"From our observations, we've determined she has a deep distrust for any sort of large organization. We believe she would respond best to newer recruits." Glynda explained. Yang finally understood. She nodded.

"Okay, that actually makes a lot of sense," she said. "Wait... _she_?" Yang picked up on that pronoun in particular.

"The candidate is a woman, yes," Glynda said. "We've had great success with all-girl teams in the past."

"Okay," Weiss attempted to bring the conversation back on track before it got too far out of hand. "So, how are we going to convince her? How will we even know who she is, for that matter?"

"We have already arranged a meeting. She believes you are a friend of a friend with information regarding the White Fang." Glynda started. Before she could continue, Yang cut in.

"The White Fang? What do they have to do with this?" She asked.

"Our candidate has been leading a one woman crusade against them for quite some time, now. You may have heard about the mysterious woman who fought alongside a company of Schnee family soldiers about a week ago?" Glynda offered. Weiss's eyes widened in recognition.

"_That's_ the person we're talking about," said the heiress. "She's a hero. The soldiers who escaped only did so because of her."

"This is one of the many reasons we want her in our ranks," Glynda tilted her head in affirmation. "Her abilities are most impressive."

"Anyone who hates the White Fang is a friend of mine," Yang commented. She had plenty of reason to despise those terrorists. "But, how do you want us to recruit her? What should we say?"

"Well, that's really up to you," Glynda admitted. "Everyone is different, and there's no universal approach. You'll have to meet with her and figure it out on your own."

"Fair enough," Yang shrugged.

"And just where is this meeting taking place?" Weiss asked. Showing the most emotion yet, Goodwitch bowed her head and pinched the bridge of her nose.

"That's the part I don't like." She looked at them again. "I hate to send you so far away on your second day here, but Ozpin insists this is the right move. Pack your bags, ladies. You're going to Vale."

…

Atop a lean bay, Roman Torchwick rode through an open plain. Nothing but bright green grass and the occasional tree surrounded him. He steered the horse in a straight line, reins bunched up in one hand. With each rise and fall, the grimace on his face deepened. Horses were very near the top of the long list of things he hated. They were big and dumb as a post, almost as dumb as the animals he was forced to work with.

Speaking of which, Roman was not alone in his venture. A score of men rode behind him. Each wore a short white riding coat and ominous Grimm mask. They couldn't be any more obviously White fang if they tried. This, among many other things, made Roman despise them. For such a reclusive organization, the White Fang sure went through great strides to stand out.

Every man carried very specific arms. Their primary weapon was a long and intimidating pike. Normally reserved for infantry, such a weapon was too heavy to use on horseback for long. It would serve its purpose, though. They also wore large canvas bags, tied around the tops, at their belts.

Out here, in the middle of nowhere, there weren't many people to see them, so that was a plus. Roman did not like this stroke of fortune. The last thing he needed to do was use up all his luck before he actually needed it.

They were several leagues outside of Vale city. As such, the weather was rather temperate. Humid and with just a slight breeze, he found the atmosphere rather comfortable. Another bit of good luck. This trend had to stop.

The only noise which accompanied the riders was the sound of hooves against the soft ground. They had not been ordered to keep quiet, but simply had nothing to say. Roman preferred it this way. Speaking with such lowlifes could be tiring even in the best of spirits. The less time he had to waste relating with them, the better.

The party crested the top of a hill. The rest of their group awaited them. Neo looked absolutely adorable atop a horse much too big for her, a pike in her off hand. Along with the diminutive woman was the lieutenant, adorned in his sleeveless armor and greatsword laid across his knees. His pike hung fed through a couple loops on the side of his saddle. It was a special weapon. This would be his first mission since the failed assassination attempt of Weiss Schnee. If things went south, it would be his last.

Roman joined them, stopping a bit ahead of the two. The rest of his men came to rest behind them. Neo peered through a brass spyglass. Roman held out his open hand to her. He snapped his fingers just to get her attention. She only gave him a sideways glance before returning to her toy.

"Don't even start with me," Roman warned. "I'm still mad at you for not killing that Shadow bitch."

Neo sheepishly batted her eyes at him. Roman was not phased. Seeing her attempts would not work, she relinquished the spyglass. Roman held it up to his eye to inspect the valley below.

The plains gave way to loose forest just past the base of the hill. It was a rather serene setting, but this was not what interested Roman. Gigantic Grimm traveled through the woods. These creatures were aptly named goliaths. They walked on four thick and strong limbs. Their bodies were rather short and round, pitch black hides thick and tough. Floppy ears framed their large heads. Long trunked noses extended almost all the way to the ground. Huge tusks curled upward, apex extending slightly over their heads. Bony structures protected their craniums.

Indeed, the beasts bore striking resemblance to regular elephants, although much, _much_ larger. The trees only came up to the knees of the largest specimens. Their backs and sides were guarded by protrusions of bone. Stubby spikes rose from their spines.

"Team two is already in position," informed the lieutenant in his heavy accent.

"Good. What can you tell me about this herd?" Roman moved right along in search of pertinent information.

"We've been watching them for about twenty minutes," the lieutenant said.

"And?" Torchwick goaded him to continue without lowering his glass.

"Do you see the baby one right in the middle?" Asked the lieutenant.

Roman scanned the herd for a moment. There were maybe nine in total, fewer than he expected. All he could see were adults, however.

"No... I don't," he leaned forward, as if that would help. "No, wait! Right there, behind his mother."

It was hard to see, especially from such a distance, but between the strides of a Grimm right in the center walked a set of smaller legs. Another similarity to elephants, the goliaths protected their young with sheer mass. Roman collapsed the spyglass.

"Perfect," he muttered to himself. Roman turned his horse about to address his men. "I'm pretty sure you all know the plan, but for those who don't, I'll gloss over it. Neo, the LT, and I will focus on securing the target. The rest of you will scatter the moment you hit the trees and disperse the herd. I don't care how you do it, just get them out of our way. Don't go out on your own or else they won't be afraid of you anymore. You wouldn't want to get trampled, right?" Roman let his comment marinade for a moment. He didn't expect any sort of response, just needed his point driven home.

"Okay then." Roman turned his horse back toward the forest. "Everyone on me." He dug spurs into his horse's flank. It took off and full gallop down the hill.

The lieutenant, Neo, and White Fang followed, streaming down the slope in a localized thunder of hooves. Roman imagined this would be quite the sight to behold, a drove of white-clad men atop dark horses charging with reckless abandon. Songs had been composed for less. When all was said and done, many songs would be written about him.

The party approached the forest at a rapid pace. The herd had not perceived them yet as a threat, and kept on walking as if nothing were about to happen. Although smart, goliaths tended to be somewhat single-minded. They couldn't pay attention very well to more than one thing at once. Right now they were in travel mode, but that would soon change.

Anticipation welled up inside Roman, despite himself. The entire plan hinged on the next few moments. If the Grimm did not behave like he assumed they would, then the entire operation would be an absolute shambles. They were back to square one if this didn't work, and square one had no back up plan.

Roman and the White Fang burst into the trees without losing an ounce of speed. They split off into groups, just as ordered. Some squads made a b-line toward a specific creature. Others attempted to partially encircle the enemy. Roman's group was one of the former. They went right for the mother goliath and her calf.

At this point, the Grimm finally recognized the humans and faunus as a legitimate concern. Working on instinct, they began backing into a tight defensive circle around the paternal pair. This was another thing Roman anticipated. The Grimm were nothing if not predictable.

This would all come down to timing. Too soon and his men would not have the proper coverage to properly chase away all of the Grimm. Too late, and the creatures would complete their defenses. Roman looked to his left, and then right, trying to spot all the offensive groups through the foliage. He could only catch brief glimpses of each team. Knowing exactly where they all were was impossible. This would have to be good enough. Roman raised his cane.

A single shot emitted from the end of his weapon. The unstable fire crystal sailed through the air and quickly collided with a goliath in front of him. The creature was stunned, but undeterred. This attack was not intended to spook the herd. Instead, it served only as a catalyst.

At nearly the exact same time, the White Fang members reached into the sacks at their belts. Each soldier extracted from within a crystal of pure fire Dust, prismatic and brilliant red. They hurled the crystals at the creatures. Like clockwork, twenty explosions sounded in rapid succession. They formed a perfect U shape around the front of the incomplete defensive circle formed by the Grimm.

The sudden heated cacophony startled the creatures. Years of fighting and death had taught them to fear human and faunus kind. And fear they did. In a moment, all their bonds as a herd were torn. The Grimm scattered, a broken and desperate stampede. Tree trunks snapped as the gigantic creatures ran. Roman gave a malicious grin. The chase was on.

Single groups of White Fang men focused in on different goliaths. They led their targets in all directions, trying to take them as far away from the herd as possible. The ground shook from the footfalls of nine massive creatures, exacerbated by a liberal smattering of explosions. Grey smoke filled the air above the canopy.

Neo, Roman, and the lieutenant followed the mother Grimm and her child. The lieutenant tossed a crystal. It landed where he wanted—detonating right between them—but did not have the desired effect. They separated for a second to avoid the fire, but came back together in an instant. He grimaced.

A goliath crashed through the trees in front of them, chased by a trio of soldiers. Two of them threw crystals at its feet to keep it moving in a straight line. This caused the mother Grimm to turn sharply left to avert a collision. Neo tried to use this to her advantage. She threw a crystal in front of the baby. It reared and stopped in its tracks with a loud, terrified trumpet.

The hope here was to close in on it before the mother could react. Neo accelerated, pushing her horse to its limits. She closed on the target. The mother intercepted her, however. It raised its big foot and brought it crashing down. Neo yanked her reins right. The horse cut at the last possible second to avoid being crushed. Neo lost any an all momentum. Roman and the lieutenant sped past her. She shook her head in frustration before rejoining the hunt.

The three of them did their best to separate the pair. Neo and the lieutenant hurled explosions at them. Roman fired his cane at the mother. Nothing they did produced any tangible results. One would slow down or deviate momentarily, but they always ended up back together. The bonds of maternity were too strong for fire Dust.

"This isn't working!" Roman declared. "Just kill the big one!"

Neo and the lieutenant sprung into action. She slapped the reins, riding up along the right side of the mother goliath. The lieutenant held position close behind it. She gained on the creature, but slowly. In an attempt to slow it, even just slightly, she threw crystals in front of it. Each explosion equaled a missed step. Each missed step brought Neo closer.

The diminutive woman lashed out with her pike. She cut the goliath along its underside, but this did little more than piss it off. It had to be lagged more substantially. Neo rode on toward the front of the beast, coming even with its front leg. She reeled back her pike and stabbed forward as hard as she possibly could.

Her point slid into the goliath's flesh, jabbing straight through its kneecap. It let out a hideous scream which shook the trees. It fell forward on its knees. The beast slid along the ground, rapidly losing speed.

The lieutenant took over from here. He stood up, surfing on his horse's back for a second. After lining himself up quickly, he leapt into the air. The lieutenant brandished his sword, blade gleaming in the haze. He landed on the injured goliath's back, missing its spikes by not even an inch.

From here, the faunus sprinted along the goliath's back. His feet expertly missed each bony protrusion, landing only on leathery black skin. This deft footwork slowed him down a bit, but he still made impressive time along the beast. It could do nothing to stop him with one leg too injured to buck.

He rapidly approached the creature's head. He jumped for the last few feet. The lieutenant flattened his body like an arrow, holding his sword out in front of him with both hands. Razor sharp metal met exposed hide. The sword sliced through the base of the Grimm's skull, slotting perfectly into the spot where spinal cord met cranium.

The lieutenant released his weapon, leaving it embedded in the enemy. The goliath faltered, losing its balance completely. The massive creature slammed into the ground. Having forsaken most of its speed, it did not slide long. Its curled tusks dug a shallow trench in the ground. It came to a stop after a few feet, immobile. Dead. The lieutenant landed in front of it in a crouched position.

Neo rode up next to the lieutenant and gave him a quick smile. They watched Roman ride off away from them, herding the baby goliath to the east. He shot at its left side, just to keep the thing on course. The lieutenant looked at his kill and smirked.

"Well, that was easy," he commented. Neo rolled her eyes and took off after Roman.

Torchwick pursued the young Grimm. Too small to bust through the trees, it instead had to weave around them. This made keeping it on the right track rather difficult. Every time it tried to detour Roman gave it a blast on the opposite side in order to coax it back to the right path.

Roman's weapon ran out of ammunition rather quickly. He resorted to throwing dust crystals like his cohorts. The two of them played an awkward game of cat and mouse, each one trying to outsmart the other. Roman would not be beaten by such a low-level intelligence. He remained constantly one step ahead of the thing. Even when it tried to juke him by fainting right, Roman maintained control of the situation. He waited for it to make its proper move before offering adjustment.

They fought on like this for maybe another mile or so. Everywhere around them the sounds of battle raged, but they were distant. The ground no longer shook and the smoke mostly dissipated. The White Fang was leading the beasts far away, removing them as an obstacle.

After a few more minutes the Grimm burst into a clearing, Roman right behind. Neither one made it far, however. The young goliath ground to a stop just about in the middle of the space. Lying in wait for him had been a White Fang pike formation. They spread out on the banks of a deep pond, forming a broad U.

From out of the brush appeared more pikemen, followed closely by Neo and the lieutenant. The two formations converged, completely encapsulating their prey. The Grimm thrashed around this way and that, desperate for an escape, but sanctuary would not come. It was utterly trapped.

The circle slowly closed. The goliath lashed out with trunk and tusk, but was at a palpable reach disadvantage. The only thing it garnered in doing so was a new set of cuts. The White Fang never attacked, only defended themselves. They needed to discourage aggression. It swung at one of the soldiers and it stabbed back, point wandering dangerously close to its eye.

"Hey, hey, watch what you're doing," Roman barked. "We need it alive."

Seeing that this could only ever get much worse, Roman dismounted his horse. The lieutenant handed him the pike which hung on his saddle. This one was very different from the others. A yellow and black Dust crystal had been hastily tied against the blade.

He approached the beast, covering the short distance between them. He came to a stop, perhaps closer than necessary. The height difference between them became quite clear. Although barely a year old, this child was still about the size of a normal elephant. Taking one down from the front would be difficult for any lone warrior, even one so skilled as he.

But there would be no battle, not now. The Grimm could have hit him with its long trunk, only it didn't. The creature had learned how pointless its fight was. It did not try to defend itself. When an animal died, there was always a point of peace where it accepted its fate. Roman reveled in the moment. The only thing better than allowing the sweet release of death was ripping it away.

With a look of determination, Roman thrust the pike forward. It buried into the goliath's shoulder. Simultaneously, the Dust at the tip activated. A powerful stream of lightning ran through the Grimm's entire body. It roared in pure agony, trunk spasmed uncontrollably as the current took control of its muscles.

Roman kept this up for several long, painful seconds. Many members of the White Fang found the scene too disturbing to watch. Even the lieutenant diverted his eyes. They shared no love for the creatures of terror, but observing such suffering in any creature could turn stomachs.

After long enough had passed, Roman removed the pike. The moment the lightning left the young goliath's body it slumped over, eyes closed and breaths in a heavy rhythm. Roman allowed himself a momentary satisfied glare before turning around. He made a quick hand signal above his head.

A team of twelve oxen, each led by a horse, sauntered out from behind the lake. They walked around the water, dragging a long net behind them. They worked together, gradually dragging the net over and around the unconscious goliath. It was slow work since the thing weighed such an enormous amount, but eventually whey managed to thoroughly trap it. When the creature was secure, they began to haul it away. The oxen dragged it into the trees. Thankfully, all of the rampaging Grimm made plenty of clear paths for them to follow.

Roman mounted his horse and fell in behind them along with the rest of his men. Honestly, this was the part which worried him the most. Twelve oxen dragging a goliath through an open plain? It would be a miracle if they garnered no attention from the local authorities.

"I hope she appreciates this," he muttered to himself.

**Notes: _That_ was fun. Most of my action scenes focus more on fighting than tactics. Designing the hunt around a different perspective was quite refreshing. Let me know what you thought. Comments and questions are always welcome. **


	15. City Folk

Dingy. That's how Yang would describe her current surroundings. Plenty wide enough and easy to traverse, but dark and dingy. It was a rather simple tunnel. The space was broad enough for six men to easily stand abreast, and tall enough for three to stand atop each other. It was also perfectly flat. The rocks were so smooth they couldn't have possibly been dug by hand. This tunnel was formed perhaps purely by Dust. It was in sharp contrast the different passage which first led them to the Beacon.

The only thing which made her situation bearable was companionship. Yang did not occupy this area alone. Ruby and Weiss accompanied her. Pyrrha was also there. She'd volunteered to be the group's guide. The fiery redhead did not wear her armor. Instead, her hair was down and she sported a fine red dress. She was, however, still armed with sword and shield. Now, Yang harbored no issues of self-esteem, yet she couldn't help but find the woman almost intimidatingly beautiful.

All four of them rode horses. Pyrrha led the way with the others congregating a few feet behind her. Hanging from each saddle was a lantern. The lights within these devices were powered by a small charge of lightning Dust. It provided much more substantial illumination, although required more frequent changing than a simple candle.

Darkness stretched on infinitely both before and behind them. This was likely what unsettled Yang. Before when they were traveling through similar terrain, she had many other things to worry about. The tight confines, physical exhaustion, the end of the journey, all of these things distracted her. Now that the trip was much for leisurely, she had more time to wonder just what could lay in the darkness. This was a wide open and dark space. Vile creatures loved open, dark areas. Yang realized this was just paranoia getting to her, but she couldn't help it.

In an attempt to alleviate her likely misplaced nerves, Yang rode ahead a bit. She fell in beside Pyrrha. The redhead acknowledged her presence with a glance and friendly nod. Yang lingered there for a bit before speaking up.

"So, Pyrrha, I've got a question." Yang made sure to talk loud enough so the others could hear her.

"Of course," Pyrrha said warmly.

"Alright, so, if there's this _secret tunnel_ that leads all the way from the Beacon to Vale, why in the _fuck_ didn't we use it in the first place? It seems way easier than hiking halfway up a mountain." This had been bothering Yang ever since they left.

Pyrrha hesitated. She took a deep breath. "I don't think you'll like the answer, Yang," she cautioned.

"I swear to God, if you say—" Yang began.

"It's tradition."

"God_dammit_, woman!" exclaimed the blonde. "Do you have the slightest idea how much time your _tradition_ wasted us?"

"Tell me, Yang. Do you remember how to get to the Beacon by the mountain path?" Pyrrha asked calmly.

"What?" Yang puzzled. "Well, no, but—"

"And that's precisely why it's tradition to use the mountain instead of the tunnel. Your initiation is not complete until the current Master meets with you. We don't want the uninitiated knowing about this tunnel. It could be a dangerous asset in the wrong hands." Explained Pyrrha.

"But..." Yang pondered this for a moment. "If we've already come far enough to climb the mountain, then aren't we pretty well invested into the whole thing? I mean, I don't think most people would go all that way and just turn back."

Pyrrha sighed. "I can't argue with you. For what it's worth, I don't really like it either, but that's the way it's been for centuries."

Yang crossed her arms. "Well, it's stupid."

"And I agree." Pyrrha smiled. "I'll have to show you the tunnel to Vacuo when we get back."

In unison, the jaws of Yang, Weiss, and Ruby dropped to the floor.

"You have a tunnel all the way to Vacuo?" Ruby chimed in from the back. Pyrrha laughed.

"No, that was a joke." admitted the redhead. Her attempt at humor received no mirth and she resumed her normal calm demeanor, trying to act like nothing had been said at all.

Conversation mostly died down after that. Yang fell back to ride with the others. Eventually, Pyrrha did the same. The four of them traveled in a bright knot through the dark and straight burrow. Strangely, Yang's anticipation left her shortly after. Maybe her anxiety had been due to a need for answers. Satiating her curiosity seemed to calm her nerves.

And this effect was felt greatly by everyone else. Apparently, Yang had been the cause of any and all enmity in the air. After she relaxed, so too did the rest of her companions. The trek became rather pleasant after that. The isolation which replaced then tension felt somewhat soothing. Yang considered herself an extrovert, but being so far away from the crass and obnoxious public was a welcome change of pace. She was alone, and loved every minute of it. Her socially awkward sister must have felt similarly.

The four women spent a night in the tunnels. The horses were tied to posts driven into the ground, which ended up being Yang's job. Pyrrha constructed a fire pit and cooked up a quick meal of preserved beef, bread, cheese, and berries. They ate in relative silence, enjoying the hot food. After a day of dried pork and hard biscuits, the repast felt like a four course dinner.

When the time came to give up the night to slumber, they laid out bedrolls in a diamond around the remnants of the fire. The rock acted as a natural insulator, holding heat rather well. To keep the fire going was unnecessary. Everyone welcomed this. Keeping wool so close to an open flame presented an obvious hazard. It made the whole party feel more at ease.

Well, most of them, anyway. As Yang lay dozing on her side—after about twenty minutes or so had passed—she heard someone shuffle over to her. A smile stretched across the blonde's face as a bedroll flopped down behind her back, followed by the jostling as someone climbed into it.

Yang rolled over and pulled her visitor into a tight hug. Ruby let out an _eep!_ at the sudden contact, but her shock wore off immediately. Back home in Patch there were plenty of stars in the sky, and the mineral lights at the Beacon never went out, so this problem never presented itself. The tunnel, however, offered no refuge. Ruby Rose was fifteen-years-old, and still afraid of the dark. The sisters fell asleep in the embrace, Ruby comforted by the presence of her elder, and Yang glad she could be of assistance.

Pyrrha woke the three raw recruits after what felt like only a few hours of sleep. Weiss was _not_ enthused, but swallowed her pride as any proper lady would. Getting Ruby out of bed proved quite a chore. Even dragging her up on her feet didn't work. Somehow, she managed to sleep standing up. Eventually, Yang had to threaten to steal her scythe. _That_ woke the younger girl up in mere seconds.

Once everyone was up and about, they ate a quick breakfast consisting of dried grains, nuts, and fruit. Packing up the tent and beds consumed a few minutes. Between the four of them, they made quick work of the task. Before long, they were off again.

This day consisted of much the same as the previous. They walked for long and monotonous stretches, only occasionally stopping to rest the horses and stretch their legs. They talked little about the task ahead. Just as Goodwitch said, that would be a bridge best crossed at the appropriate time.

After what must have been an entire day of walking, the tunnel—which had been perfectly flat until that point—sloped sharply upward. The change was so sudden and steep, it gave the horses momentary pause. The animals figured it out quickly, however, and they were up. This pace continued for quite a while, a few miles at least. Yang marveled at just how long they traveled upward. Just how deep underground _were_ they?

Eventually, they came to the end of the path. Up ahead, the slope met with the ceiling at an acute angle. Head space for the horses rapidly deteriorated. The party halted. Yang was about to dismount, but Pyrrha stopped the blonde with a wave of her hand. The redhead stepped down from her own beast and approached the end of the line.

Yang already knew what was coming, but watched with bated breath anyway. Pyrrha walked as far up the way as she could. There wasn't even an inch of clearance between the top of her head and the rock. She took a deep breath, held for a moment, and let it out slowly. This repeated several more times. With each cycle, Pyrrha's muscles relaxed more and more.

She put her fists together level with her naval. A few measured breaths, and she struck. Her speed was incredible. Yang almost didn't see her move. Pyrrha thrust both hands straight up. Her flat palms smacked against the ceiling. Energy ran through the earth. The entire planet seemed to rumble from the inside out.

Although the process was the same as when Nora first opened the passage into the Beacon, her attack was not even on the same level as Pyrrha's. While Nora would probably bring down a building with her Aura blast, Pyrrha could easily disintegrate the same structure. In exactly the same moment, Yang, Weiss, and Ruby all made mental notes _not_ to get on her bad side.

The stone pulled apart, acted on by probably the same mechanism which allowed entry to the Beacon. Ruby looked upon it with awe. The blacksmith in her yearned to know how it worked. Even Yang had to admit it was pretty cool.

When the ground parted completely, Pyrrha returned to her horse. She said nothing and wore little expression, but Yang could tell by her posture she was rather proud of that display. Everyone likes showing off, after all. Mentally, Yang sneered. Such a smug, dangerous, bitch. With a gesture, Pyrrha led them up the slope and out of the tunnel.

Yang expected to end up outside. She was hilariously wrong. When Ruby and Weiss came up, they shared her stupor. To their great surprise, when they crested atop the ramp, they were inside a very large barn. It was more of a warehouse than anything, the kind of granary used by sharecroppers. It did have plenty of gain stored inside, yes, but also reserved space for a stables.

While the girls took in their surroundings, Pyrrha rode her horse toward the exit. The plod of hooves against hard dirt snapped Yang back to reality. She pulled her reins and began to do the same. As she did, the hole in the floor closed on its own, the energy having left it.

"What is this place?" She asked of Pyrrha while catching up to her.

"A plantation a few miles outside of Vale," explained the redhead. "This is where the Beacon gets most of its food, and it also provides a convenient hiding place for our tunnel."

"And are the workers here also members of the Beacon?" Weiss had joined them as well.

"What few there are, yes," confirmed Pyrrha. "It operates on a skeleton crew for logistical reasons."

The girls accepted this information without argument. After what they'd seen the past few days, this was mild by comparison. Plus, it made sense. A secret tunnel which let out in the middle of a forest wouldn't be very secret, now would it?

Ruby rode up, and the party exited the storehouse. They really _were_ on a plantation. Although the workers had turned in for the day, the fields they tended stretched on for quite a ways. The sun hung lowly in the sky, rim just peaking up over the horizon.

The time of day amazed Yang momentarily. By what she knew of travel, the trip from Chideles to Vale should be a three day journey—minimum—when traveling over land. Using the tunnel, however, they'd made it basically all the way there before dusk on the second. Walking the rest of the distance would only take a few more hours. She had underestimated just how much time avoiding the hills and curves of the roads could save.

The plantation itself was actually quite a ways from the main road. They traveled for ten minutes before finally encountering their intended path. Once on the highway, Pyrrha led them east. She set a quick pace for the horses, taking them to half gallop. She wanted to be done with traveling just as much as everyone else.

This portion of the trip was rather pleasant. Yang took a deep breath of the early night air. It was wet and smelled of dirt. Rain had recently fallen. She reveled in this opportunity to stretch her arms, so to speak.

By the time they reached the Vale city gates, the sun had long since disappeared, leaving only the stars and full moon for illumination. Yang's prediction of a few hours had been mostly correct. The guards permitted them entrance to the city without even a hail. A lone group of women touring by night could only ever be travelers, right?

Once inside, Pyrrha gave them no time to sightsee. Ruby would have liked to explore a bit. She kept her head on a constant swivel, trying to take in everything at once. She'd always wanted to visit Vale, especially after all the stories she heard about it. As much as she wanted to look around, it would have to wait. It was night time, and that meant sleep.

Pyrrha put them up at an inn, a large and fancy establishment opulent enough to have its own stables. The fact that it was still not the nicest in all of Vale spoke volumes to the riches of the city. Predictably, the four women all shared one room. The Beacon _loved_ stuffing people into tight spaces, it seemed. While not expressly required, the girls hit the hay not long after arriving. They were tired, and tomorrow was a big day.

…

It had been decided before even leaving the Beacon that Yang would be the one to meet with their potential new teammate. All three of them at once could possibly overwhelm her. As the most charismatic one of the bunch, Yang had the best chance of success. If this didn't work, they'd put their heads together and try again, but it was Yang's job to make sure that was not required.

She sat alone at a table outside a little corner bistro, sipping absently on a cup of tea. An awning overhead striped blue and white provided ample protection from the midday sun. The tables around her were mostly occupied. The patrons consisted primarily of young couples on a lunchtime getaway, although a few groups of different sizes did sparsely populate the area. Yang was the only one without company, though.

A thin and pretty waitress in a white dress approached her table, offering a refill. Yang turned her down with a polite wave. The blonde looked around, bored. Her contact was late by almost a half hour. Making one side of a meeting wait was a popular negotiation technique. Although, it was usually the client waiting, instead of the other way around. This was either a misstep, or a brilliant scheme. Yang had yet to decide which.

Yang finished off the last of her tea, when a new arrival caught her eye. The person, a woman, occupied one of the few empty tables on the other end of the dining area. White and black clothes, golden eyes, a somewhat ridiculous bow, she matched the description of her target to a tee. She certainly stood out.

Without a moment's hesitation, Yang stood and crossed the floor. She'd been preparing mentally for this moment the past two and a half days. Her opening had been engrained in her mind.

The raven-haired girl Yang pursed buried her nose in a black book, angling her eyes down and to the right. Perfect. Yang pulled out the chair across from her and sat down, leaning forward on the table. It was not the noise, but the movement of the table which alerted the other woman. She looked up with curiosity on her face. It clearly took her a moment to process what was happening, but once she did the woman laid her closed book on the table. Yang gave her a mischievous grin.

"I thought there were supposed to be three of you," the woman commented.

"Things change," Yang concluded.

"What kind of things?" The woman showed an appropriate amount of curiosity.

"_Business_ things." Yang said. "We're very busy individuals. I hope you understand that, Ms. Blake Belladonna."

The woman looked taken aback. "You know my name?"

"Does that really surprise you?" Yang leaned back in her chair and crossed her arms.

"No, I suppose not," Blake said, her cover blown.

"Yang Xiao Long." The blonde introduced herself and reached over the table. Blake paused before accepting the handshake. It was very short, a simple exchange of formalities. "I've heard a lot about you," Yang offered as she returned her hand to her side. "You're a hero."

"I wish most people believed that," mused Blake.

"Once the dust clears, they'll know who they have to thank." Yang offered up her best wisdom. Soldiers often found themselves in a similar predicament. Everyone liked to speak ill of the police until they had a problem which needed solving.

"Are we here to talk about me, or do you have the information we agreed on?" Blake was losing her patience.

"Right. I guess we should get on with it." Yang hesitated. This was where she ran out of material, where she didn't know what to do. The best course of action would be to ease Blake into the real conversation, here. Yang just wasn't sure how to do that. "Um... what do you want to know?"

"Your middleman said you knew about some White Fang troop movements." Blake raised an eyebrow.

"Yeeees, troop movements." Yang scrambled for an answer. " Well, the short version is, there aren't any. The White Fang isn't moving any troops into our out of Vale city." She lied, _boldly._

Blake seemed confused. "But, then, what are they planning?"

"If I knew that, I wouldn't be here talking to you." Yang tried to deflect her from asking more detailed questions.

"What about elsewhere in the kingdom?" Blake continued.

"All of my reports there are old, as you can imagine. I don't feel comfortable divulging them." Yang smiled awkwardly. Why was she still playing this part? Just get _on_ with it!

The raven-haired girl scowled at her. Yang tried her best to seem innocent. Then, Blake made a movement. It was extremely small, a microscopic deviation of her right shoulder. Anyone not well trained in the arts of combat would never have noticed it. Yang's eyes widened. She didn't even need to look under the table to know a pistol crossbow was pointed at her.

Blake's eyes narrowed. "I don't know who you are, and I don't know what you want, but you'd better start telling the truth."

"Is this really necessary, Blake?" Yang regained her composure. "Look, I'm unarmed." She raised her hands in a defensive posture. Of course, Blake did not know those gauntlets were deadly weapons.

"I decide what is necessary," insisted Blake. Seeing there was no way to make her budge, Yang only sighed.

"Okay, we'll do it your way. This wasn't what I planned." Yang went to reach under the table. Blake visibly tensed up. "Calm down, I'm just grabbing something from the pouch at my belt."

Blake looked skeptical, but allowed the blonde a moment of mercy. Yang rooted around under the table, fiddling with her pouch.

"I'm assuming you're a very well informed woman?" Yang inquired while she searched. "You know things that you maybe shouldn't?" She gave Blake a sidelong glance. Ms. Belladonna averted her gaze for a moment, confirming her suspicions.

"Do you recognize this symbol?" Yang tossed a token on the table. It slid across the cloth and stopped in front of the raven-haired girl, who looked down at the medallion.

The look on Blake's face was one of pure stupefaction. She took the medallion and held it up to her face. It was of two axes crossed at the haft, blades facing outward, woven brambles around the edge. She shot an accusatory look at Yang.

"Where did you get this?" Blake demanded.

"Where do you think?" Prodded Yang. Blake did not respond, so she pushed on. "I don't have information about the White Fang. That was ruse to get you here. I represent the Beacon."

Blake let this information sink. To say she was amazed would be a drastic understatement. In a million years, she never expected to garner the attention of such a storied and secretive organization. The bafflement wore off quickly though, replaced by stoic cynicism.

"You've made quite a name for yourself," Yang continued. "Fighting outside the law for so long, you've accomplished so much."

"The law?" Blake picked out one specific part of that last statement. "Are you here to arrest me?"

"No, Blake. I'm here to _recruit_ you."

Yang's words hung in the air like fog. Blake stared down at the table, eyes wide. In her entire life, there were things she knew were impossible. Flight, for instance. But out of all of them, this never even registered as a consideration. Her mind seized up. She hadn't the first idea how to react.

"The Beacon wants _me_?_"_ She breathed.

"We're impressed, Blake," began Yang. "The Beacon needs great fighters such as yourself ."

Blake pondered this for quite a while, long enough for the silence to grow awkward.

"And do I have the right to decline?" She said finally.

"You have the right to do whatever you want," Yang confirmed.

"Then I'm afraid I must turn you down." Blake said with an air of determination. She tossed the medallion back to its owner. It slid along the table over to the Blonde. The speed of her decision surprised Yang.

"That fast?" She wondered. "Please, at least think about—"

"You seem to know a lot about me." Blake cut her off. "Did you honestly think I'd trade one corrupt organization for another? Especially after they send a corporate stooge after me?" Blake's venomous hostility quite astonished Yang. She swallowed her own anger and proceeded as gently as possible.

"I'm not a stooge, Blake. This is my first ever assignment," reasoned Yang. "You and I? We're in the same boat."

"How do I know you're telling the truth?" Blake accused.

"Do I have any reason to lie?" Challenged the blonde. Blake backed off momentarily. "If you joined, we would work together. We could keep our eyes open and if we decide we don't like it, we could take matters into our own hands. Strength in numbers." Yang played a vigilantism card to the vigilante. It made total sense in her head.

"Don't fool yourself. It wouldn't be that easy." Blake crossed her arms. Well, that didn't work. Yang decided to try a more tender approach.

"Blake, you've been living on faith for so long, now. If you joined us, we could give you something solid to believe in, to _fight_ for."

"You think my faith unfounded?" Blake leaned forward menacingly.

Yang floundered. "That's not what I—"

"But it's what you said."

"Blake—"

"No." Blake stood. "This conversation is over." She took a few steps away but stopped and turned back around. "You can take your offer, and shove it up your ass." Unceremoniously, she departed.

Yang just sat at the table, alone and utterly stunned. That didn't go very well at all.

…

Blake sat in her apartment, still slummy as ever. She'd hurried home after the debacle from earlier in the day, desperate for a place to wind down. The first thing she'd done upon arriving home was place her weapons in the far corner. Having a sword close by would not be a good idea in her aggravated state.

It had taken her a while to do but now—several hours later—she was relatively calm. Likely, it was the hour which surfeited her frustration. The moon hung in the night sky, casting blue shadows upon the land below. She always felt more comfortable in the dark, more energized. It gave an advantage over her generally less intelligent enemies.

Blake had been sitting idle at her table for a while, peering into a black book but not really retaining the words. She hadn't even turned the page in maybe ten minutes. She mulled over everything which had transpired that day. The offer, her new acquaintance, both swam around in her head.

She tried to assign a word to her feelings, a sensible classification. Although it seemed right at the time, _frustration_ really didn't fit. Skepticism, for sure. Anxiety, perhaps? There were a hundred quips and phrases she could use to describe the little meeting at the bistro. Frustration wasn't one of them, nor was anger. Curiosity seemed like a good bet. Curiosity, and hesitation.

Yang certainly gave a strong impression. Strong and brash, she seemed like the kind of person who could get things done. Yet, Blake also detected great kindness within her. _Betrayal_ was probably a foreign concept to the buxom blonde. Although she was certainly not indicative of the entire Beacon, could an organization which allowed people of such caliber really be all that bad?

Just as she did all the previous time such a thought came across, Blake physically shook it from her head. Years of experience taught her no large bodies of people were all that different from one another. Their cause was noble; no one could say different of the Beacon. Blake found their methods questionable, however. Why would a morally upstanding society have to keep itself secret? Why not operate like the various Mason brotherhoods, or a noble family? They wouldn't hide unless they had reason to.

And this truth was what reinforced to Blake she made the right decision. What Yang had said was true. She could accomplish much more in her campaign against the White Fang if working with a group. But did a little assistance really justify giving up everything she'd stood for so long? The answer was a resounding _no_. Blake had done just fine with herself and Tukson. She should go see him soon.

She was about to get up and put her book away, maybe make a soothing cup of tea, when she heard footsteps from outside. Not an uncommon occurrence—this was a tenement, after all—but some certain qualities about them gave her pause.

Firstly, it was a pair of people. This complex played host to those most down on their luck. People lived here because they couldn't find anyone else to help cover the expense of living. Secondly, the steps were rather quiet. Boots made well enough to walk silently were rare in these parts. But the footfalls she observed were so diminutive, a person less in tune with their senses might miss them altogether.

Motionless. Blake moved not an inch as she listened to the approaching persons. Each step brought them closer. She kept her eyes trained on the door. Her fists tightened into tense balls. The rational part of her brain tried to reason out the situation. These two mysterious individuals were just normal people, coming home after a long day of work. Or they were business men inspecting the property for a potential investment. There were plenty of reasons why two people would be arriving at this hour.

But all that went out the window when the steps ceased. They were close, very close. Blake's eyes trailed downward. A set of shadows peeked under the door. They were right outside her apartment. Her mind reeled. What was happening? What did they want?

She had only seconds to figure out the answers. A small charge of fire Dust went off in a puff of smoke and sound. The door swung open, and Blake sprang into action.

Two men entered into the room. Clad all in white, they brandished swords and concealed their faces with mask and hood. The insignia of the White Fang was emblazoned across their chest plates, the only armor they wore.

Blake shot up from her seat, knocking the chair over. The men approached her, walking through the space. By the way they moved, they'd already resigned themselves to a fight. She returned their slow charge, advancing upon the unsubtle assassins.

The White Fang men came at her in a slightly staggered pattern. Blake used this to her advantage. She went first for the one on the right. He attempted to stab at her midsection. She sidestepped left and trapped his wrist with her right hand. In the exact same motion, she gave the other assassin a toe kick between the legs.

With the second fighter stunned, Blake focused on the first. She raised his sword arm up and punched hard under his elbow. The man's arm snapped as if made from tinder. He let out a bloodcurdling scream. His blade fell to the floorboards. Blake released his wrist and jabbed him in the kidney. Not a powerful attack, but it was enough to ground the weakened man.

The plan here had been to acquire the dropped weapon, but the other assassin recovered too quickly. Blake was forced to face him unarmed. He struck diagonally down at her. She dodged. The man tried from the other direction, and again was avoided. Thinking the third time would be the charm, he came down once more.

But this time Blake was ready. She stepped in and intercepted the blow before it could gain momentum. She grabbed his wrist up high in both hands. Maintaining her grasp, Blake spun around. She kicked out his right ankle. In the same motion, she yanked his arm over her shoulder. Thoroughly off-balanced, the assassin was lifted off his feet. He went flying through the air over her and crashed down hard on his back.

The wind was knocked out of him. While still stunned on the ground, Blake brought her heel around for a vicious axe kick. His windpipe shattered at the impact. He writhed around on the floor, gasping for the breath which would never return. With a sneer, Blake left him to his fate. She stepped over his flailing arm and picked up his sword.

The first assassin—the one with the broken arm—was making a pitiful attempt at escape. He crawled across the floor with his good hand, slowly pulling himself toward the door. Blake stopped him with a foot squarely on his back. He turned his head to look up at her in his peripheral vision.

"Wait—no—please!"

Blake drove the sword through his temple, putting an end his insatiable begging. Blood seeped from the wound, and spilled on her floor.

She stood straight and looked around in search of any other threats. Her breaths were shallow, fueled by adrenaline and rage. Her own home! She knew it was only a matter of time before the White Fang figured things out, but to attack in her own home! The audacity! The indecency! Blake couldn't believe these bastards would go so far.

Her breathing slowed to a normal pace. Her eyes nearly quadrupled in size as a terrifying realization flashed through her mind. Blake gathered up her weapons and bolted through the open door. She stole through the night, praying to all the gods in the world.

Never in her life had Blake moved so fast. The rooftops she bounded from were inconsequential. Her feet barely even made contact with them. She was quick as the night. But no matter how fast she was, it would never be enough to match the frantic beating of her heart. Had to make it in time. Please let her make it in time.

Blake came to her destination—a two story, glass fronted building—at a record setting pace. She dropped down across the street. Its blinds were pulled shut, but a light was on inside. This filled Blake with hope. It meant someone was home and active. She sprinted up to the door and burst through it, not even bothering with the knob. Any hope she may have harbored was dashed the moment she stepped inside.

Books were strewn across the floor. All of the carts were out of place. A shelf had been overturned completely, its contents spilled all over the wood. These did not concern Blake. She wore a mortified expression, for laying in the center of all this mess was a dark-haired man face up in a pool of his own blood.

"TUKSON!" Blake cried out. She ran over to him and dropped to her knees at his side. She inspected him. Two grizzly parallel stab wounds gaped from just under his ribs. By the way he wheezed, one of his lungs was damaged.

At the sound of his name, Tukson weakly turned his head. Their eyes met. His were weak and somewhat dilated, barely kept open by what energy he had left.

"Blake?" He breathed. Tukson closed his eyes and let out a shuddering breath. "You're okay."

"I'm okay, Tukson. They came for me but I beat them." Blake said in her best calming tone. It was ruined by how quickly she spoke.

"That's good." Tukson lapsed into a coughing fit. Blood dribbled from his mouth. "I'm glad they... that they didn't get you, too."

"Don't talk like that!" Blake commanded. "I'm gonna get you out of here. You're gonna be fine."

Tukson wasn't listening at all. He reached up toward her, seeming to focus on something just above her head.

"Blake," he wheezed. "Blake, I want to see you, just one more time."

"I'm right here, Tukson." Blake took his hand in both of hers, afraid his sight had left him. "I'm right here."

"No," Tukson's voice was merely a whisper. "The real you."

Blake blinked, understanding him perfectly. She gently laid his hand on his chest. With her eyes closed she reached up and untied her bow, revealing the black cat ears beneath.

Blake opened her eyes and looked down at Tukson. He had a smile on his face.

"There you are," he said. "You always were—" Another coughing fit took hold, but this one was weak. Barely any air escaped and his body did not thresh with effort. In a moment, the coughs stopped completely. His expression went blank. His pupils glazed over.

"Tukson?" Blake asked in bewilderment. "Tukson!" Confusion turned to panic. "No, Tukson!"

Frantically, she began a desperate attempt to save him. With the meat of her palm she pumped into his chest, compressing his ribcage in order to make his lungs work artificially. She breathed into his mouth.

"No, no, no, no, no!" She pleaded with him. More compressions, one, two, three, four, five. Nothing worked. She breathed more air into his lungs.

"Breathe Tukson. You have to breathe!" Every inch of her body implored him to breathe.

Blake resumed pressing on his ribs. She started out with the same gusto, but after the first few her strength petered out. In the back of her mind, she knew there was no saving him. She collapsed onto his chest, sobbing openly into his brown shirt. Her torso convulsed and her wails filled the room.

"I'm sorry," she cried. "I'm so sorry." But he could not hear her.

Tukson was dead.


	16. Breakdown

Late at night, although the exact hour could not be determined. Well, that wasn't exactly true. Yang just didn't really care. She'd decided to take a walk for a change of scenery and maybe also to clear her head. Staying cooped up at the inn certainly wasn't helping matters any.

She took a deep breath, relishing the cool nighttime breeze. When she was a young girl her family visited Vale once. Although Ruby was too young to remember, one thing which always stuck with Yang was slight scent of fish which permeated the entire city. As a prominent trading port this was only natural. Smelling it now sent faint waves of nostalgia coursing through her soul.

The streetlamps provided spotty illumination, but the night was not necessarily dark to begin with. A full moon and cloudless sky made sure of that. Although most objects lost their color and fine detail, Yang could tell everything apart just fine.

The pleasant night was perhaps the only thing keeping her sane. As Yang walked, she could not help but recall her previous failure. Blake proved a much tougher nut to crack than she predicted, which is saying something. The mission was not over, of course. Ruby and Weiss still had their turns, and Yang would likely make another pass at it, but the day's misstep only served to make things harder. Blake would be on the defensive, and all the more difficult to talk with because of it.

There was to be drawn, however, a minor comfort. When briefing them, Glynda had been very explicit in her wording. Blake was not the only candidate available to join their team. She was simply the best choice. Even if she proved impossible to work with, there were still other options out there. Yang didn't want to lose here, but the promise of a second chance removed some of the sting from defeat.

The wind picked up momentarily. Yang decided not to dwell on the day too much. What was in the past could not be changed. Tomorrow would be a better day. With her companions taking the brunt of responsibility, she could dedicate her time to looking around. She quite looked forward to that. Vale was a big city. Just imagine all the things she could do...

Any sort of fantasizing ceased when there suddenly came a noise from behind her, faint and carried by the wind. Yang's first instinct was to perceive the sound as a possible threat. She spun around and held her hands in a fighting position. Whatever lowlife tried to jump her would be sorry. This was _not_ a good day for such rambunctiousness.

The figure landed squarely between two streetlamps. Although the specifics of its features were lost, Yang could make out the basic outline. Average height, athletic build, ribbons trailing in the wind, and a cute bow. She relaxed upon seeing these things.

"Oh, it's you," Yang assumed a normal standing posture. "Did you come to yell at me again?" No response. "How did you even find me? Don't worry, I won't be bothering you again." Yang thought she was being clever by leaving out her companions. However when her guest still did not respond, smug disdain turned to puzzled concern. "Blake?"

Yang took a step toward the partially enshrouded girl. Blake faded back. Yang stopped. She decided to proceed with care.

"Come on, step into the light. I don't wanna talk to a shadow," Yang requested.

Her words hung in the air. Yang waited patiently. She didn't know what was happening, but her worry rose by the second. It was accompanied by an appropriate level of caution. Blake was an unknown. Although Yang sensed no hostility from the girl, she had to remain on her toes. Anything less would be simply idiotic.

After a minor eternity, Blake's spirit broke. Her shoulders relaxed. She stepped underneath a lamp, and elicited a gasp from the blonde. Her eyes were red and sore, hair slightly disheveled. What little eye makeup she wore had streaked and been wiped with a clumsy hand. Her inhales were just a bit ragged, betraying her sore throat and stuffy nose.

"Oh my God," Yang breathed. "What happened? Are you okay?" She tried to put a hand on Blake's shoulder, but the girl batted her away. Yang's expression was a mix of hurt and compassion. "Blake..."

A short silence stretched between them. Yang's mind raced. A thousand things could have gone wrong in the few hours since their last meeting. A warrior's spirit was indomitable. To break it so thoroughly as Blake's had clearly been took immeasurable tragedy. Yang knew little about her but one thing was blatantly obvious; she needed help.

"Blake, just tell me what's wrong?" Yang pleaded. Still, silence. "Please, I want to help you but I can't do that unless you talk to me." She was starting to get desperate. It was obvious in her tone. "Are you hurt? Is it someone else? Blake, _please_, I have friends here. We can—"

"He's dead," Blake muttered, cutting Yang off pointedly. Her voice was barely audible.

"What? Who's dead?" Yang pried urgently for answers.

"My best friend. My _only _friend." Blake was on the brink of tears. "The White Fang, they came for us. I got away but he...he..." she took a sharp breath through her nose. "I didn't have anywhere else to go so I went looking for you and—"

Blake's words became caught in her throat, not from a mental block, but a physical one. Without warning, Yang wrapped her in a tight hug. The unexpected embrace took Blake completely off guard. She stood with her arms at an awkward angle and back rigid. This surprise was only momentary, though. When Blake realized what was happening, she eased into the moment.

Yang's outburst of kindness was the final breaking point. Blake deteriorated into heavy sobs. She put her arms around the blonde and cried into her shoulder. Salty tears soaked into the soft leather of Yang's jerkin. Blake's knees gave out and Yang gently followed her down, making sure the impact carried no further pain for the already hurting woman.

The two stayed like that for time inconclusive. Blake wept and Yang held her tight through every shuddering breath. Nothing else mattered. No one else in the world existed. There were only the two of them, a tattered spirit and the one willing to piece her back together. With every sob, Yang pulled her closer. Her hands made slow soothing circles along Blake's trembling back. This was a bond between strangers which could not be broken. No known force in the universe could tear them apart.

When long enough had passed, and the energy within Blake faded, her tears began to dry up. Her breathing gradually slowed to an average pace. Her chest ached. She was exhausted, but no longer did she cry. Sadness ebbed uncontrolled within her, but she simply hadn't the strength to weep.

Yang had remained quiet throughout the whole episode. Blake required comfort, not words of wisdom. The blonde remembered what happened when Ruby lost her mother. Many nights were spent in a similar manner. Ruby broke down and Yang held her in silent council until she stopped. However, they had both been children. They were sisters. This was different. Blake needed compassion, yes, but she also needed a kind voice. Yang broke her silence.

"I'm sorry, Blake. I'm so, _so_ sorry." Yang gave her a few quicker back rubs. "I don't know what else to say."

Blake bunched her hands into fists, gathering up a heap of Yang's shirt. "It's my fault." She strained to say.

This little comment took Yang by surprise, and shattered her heart. She loosened her grip momentarily, choking back tears of her own. She regained her composure shortly, and pulled Blake tighter than ever before.

"You can't think like that. You didn't have anything to do with this. It isn't your fault."

"Yes it is!" Blake argued, shouting into the blonde's shoulder. "_I_ was the one who came to him. _I_ convinced him. He never would have gotten involved if it wasn't for me!"

Yang couldn't take it anymore. She held the girl by the shoulders at arm's length.

"Look at me, Blake," she commanded. "You. Did. Not. Do. This. The _White Fang_ did. I didn't know your friend, but he must have been an amazing man. I don't think he would want you to blame yourself."

"Tukson," Blake said. "His name was Tukson."

"Tukson," Yang repeated. "Forgive me if I'm overstepping, but I think Tukson would want you to keep fighting. We have the same goals. Let us help you, Blake."

Breaking all expectations, Blake laughed just slightly. It was small, barely an exhale, but it was still something. That little puff was like music to Yang's ears.

"That's the whole reason I came to find you." Blake wiped away tears from one eye and then the other. Yang dropped her hands. "Tukson was my lifeline; I can't do this on my own. I want to fight, to protect people. I want to join the Beacon."

…

The attitude at the inn was a somber one. All conversation topics long exhausted, Weiss, Ruby, and Pyrrha simply in silence, occupied with their own tasks. Ruby sat on her bed nestled back-to a corner in the wall, reading a book. Weiss filed her nails, taking great care in her work. Pyrrha sat with legs crossed at the desk in the room. She wrote in short bursts on a piece of cheap paper, absently bouncing her foot.

Although Ruby's eyes remained glued to her tome, she wasn't really paying attention. It was not a very interesting read, which was sad considering it had the most compelling concept out of all the other books available at the inn.

She yawned, wondering just why any of them were still awake. Perhaps the stress of the day kept them up. There was certainly a lot to think about. It was what the three of them spoke of in the hours before. Anxiety could also play a role. Neither her nor Weiss looked forward to meeting with Blake, especially since they hadn't been able to agree on an approach. Ruby wanted to be patient and take an indirect approach. Weiss had a somewhat opposite view. She thought money and prestige could sway the argument in their favor. Pyrrha disliked both ideas. While technically just the escort, the redhead couldn't help but lend her two cents. Ruby was thankful for this. They needed all the help they could stumble in to.

Ruby turned the page. As she began to read the heading lines on the new section, she realized she retained no memory of the previous page. The younger girl couldn't even be sure if she'd read it in the first place. With an irritated scowl, she flipped back in the book. It was probably about time she went to bed. Another yawn confirmed her suspicions.

But sleep would have to wait. Just as Ruby closed her mouth, the door opened, revealing a drained looking Yang. All eyes turned to her. The blonde entered the room without acknowledging any of them. She plopped down on her bed and sat with an arched back. She blew air out her nostrils.

"That must've been quite the walk," Weiss commented.

"Yeah, did you go jogging or something? You look beat," added Ruby.

"No, I just walked. I have good news," Yang said.

"Oh really? Weiss raised an eyebrow. "And what would that be?"

"I talked to Blake. She agreed to join the Beacon," answered Yang bluntly.

"Really?" Ruby said. Her and Weiss gathered 'round. Ruby sat on the bed across from her sister and the heiress stood at the foot of Yang's mattress.

"How'd you manage that," Inquired Weiss.

"It's not important," said Yang, remembering the moment she shared with Blake just moments before. "The short version is, we had a serious talk and she said she'd come with us back to the Beacon; said she wanted to help fight. I told her to meet us here tomorrow at around noon."

"That's great, Sis!" Ruby complimented, genuinely impressed.

"Yeah, really," agreed Weiss. "Saves us the trouble, anyway." She joked. Yang shot the heiress an acidic look. The blonde found her comment way out of line. "_What_?" Weiss reeled just slightly.

"Good work, Yang." Pyrrha moved in to quickly defuse the situation. She stood next to Weiss. "Ms. Belladonna will be a powerful asset. Now there's just the matter of her test to discuss."

"What do you mean?" Yang asked.

"Well, as her recruiters, the application of her test falls to you." Pyrrha informed them.

It was as if she'd dropped an anvil on their heads. None of the three girls expected this revelation. In retrospect, it should have been obvious considering what they'd gone through, but it never crossed any of their minds. They'd been too concerned with how to actually go about recruiting Blake, it never occurred to them she would also have to be tested.

"It's your responsibility to come up with something to adequately test her abilities," Pyrrha continued.

"Can we at least sleep on it?" Ruby asked sheepishly.

"No, I don't think that would be a good idea," declined Pyrrha. "You should at least brainstorm now, while all this is still fresh in your heads," she finished. At her rejection, Ruby wilted.

"Well, I think we can all agree the standard test would be a bad idea," Weiss observed.

"Agreed," Yang concluded. "She doesn't really trust anyone right now. If we drop her in the middle of nowhere like that, we'll lose her for good."

"I just don't know what else we would do." Weiss said what they all thought.

The four women remained in silent contemplation for a while. It was actually quite hilarious how the collective gears in their heads visibly turned. Be it through fatigue or a genuine lack of ideas, none of them were able to devise any sort of solid plan. Each had the starts of something good, but their ideas fell apart before they could even voice them. Then, after a few minutes, Ruby perked up.

"A training session!" She blurted. Everyone turned to her.

"A what now?" Yang asked.

Ruby shied at their gaze, but pressed on. "A training session," she repeated. "This test is really just to see if Blake can hold her own, right? What better way to do that than to fight her ourselves? We set up a little sparring match, and use that to see what she can do." The entire room brightened at her explanation.

"Ruby, you're a genius!" Praised her sister. Ruby inclined her head and batted her eyes.

"Oh, stop it, you," she played coy.

"One problem, though." Trust Weiss to ruin the moment. "It'll be kind of hard for everyone to watch if one of us is busy fighting." She raised a good point. Ruby and Yang set about puzzling over this little hitch in the plan. They didn't get far, though.

"Then, _I_ will fight her," Pyrrha said, unconsciously squaring her shoulders. The girls gave her mildly astonished looks. They never really expected her to volunteer like that.

"Is that even allowed?" Yang asked.

"There are no rules in the field, Yang," the redhead reminded her. "If I fight her, that leaves you three to make your observations."

"I guess it's settled, then." Ruby concluded. "Blake's test will be a fight with Pyrrha."

"I'm gonna sell tickets!" Yang joked. Even though a simple jest, it wasn't actually a bad idea. They could make good money marketing a fight of such magnitude.

Shortly after ending this conversation, they all went to bed. With the strange exception of Pyrrha, they shared certain degrees of restlessness. The redhead should be the most nervous of the group, but she slipped into slumber within minutes. The rest were left to toss and turn in anticipation of the following day. They were excited to witness what was sure to be a good bout, but it was more than that. They had an important job to do and mental preparation for it kept them astir perhaps longer than prudent.

Morning approached rapidly. A late night made for a groggy beginning to the day. Again, Pyrrha was the only exception. The rest of the girls dragged themselves out of bed. All of them would have liked nothing more than to slumber another hour or two, but that option was not open. This was a big day.

For Yang to say she was not at least a little bit nervous would be a lie. She'd watched and judged many fights before—Patch elite guards were expected to aid in recruitment—but something about this just felt bigger, as if there were more at stake. Yang believed she had something personal on the line. Her and Blake had shared a rather intimate moment the night before. She wanted nothing more than for her new friend to succeed.

Her anxiety was shared by at least Ruby, who really didn't have the first idea what she was doing. The younger girl was more used to participating in fights rather than scrutinizing them. What exactly should she look for? Technique? Speed? Balance? These were the things that she focused on, but they didn't necessarily define a good fighter. Maybe a _wow_ factor was most important. ...What did that even mean?

To Weiss though, this entire situation was bothersome. Their prospective teammate already had quite the impressive rap sheet. Why was a test even necessary? Blake's abilities were well documented. Why not just hand her a badge and be done with it? But, part of her knew this would not really work. Stories were nice and all, but in order to really get a grasp on who Blake was as a fighter, she needed to be observed first hand.

The hour proceeded into high noon, just after the party from the Beacon had enjoyed a lovely meal of fish and potatoes. It was at this time, when they were all still within the dining room, that things got underway. Once again, it was Blake who got into contact with Yang, instead of the other way around. It was much easier this time, however, as she had been told where they were staying.

Blake entered the establishment and lingered a while by the door, unsure how to proceed. She could she her quarry sitting at a single round table, but couldn't work up the courage to speak with them. Things like battles and killing were so easy to her. Why did she find simple conversation difficult?

Thankfully, she hadn't need to suffer long. Yang noticed her within a few minutes, and rushed over to greet the uncharacteristically timid girl. Despite her constant refusal, Blake soon found herself standing at the table.

The introductions were... _awkward_ to say the least. Between Ruby, Weiss, and Blake—none of whom took to strangers very well—the atmosphere quickly grew uncomfortable. It was Pyrrha to the rescue. Having her explain the first phase of Blake's adoption worked out rather well. She knew the procedure better than the others, and was familiar with the correct approach. The explanation of the test and its necessity was over in a flash. Blake's speedy acceptance of the terms as almost alarming. It was as if she _wanted_ to hit something. Of course, Yang knew the reason for this.

In short order, the party exited from the inn. As they traveled, Yang mentally laughed at how their group had grown. What started out as just her and Ruby had become—if temporarily—a collection of the five most dangerous women in the world. Evil beware!

The duel was to take place in the forest surrounding Vale, far enough away from the walls to avoid rousing the guard. Yang found the trip there absolutely dreadful. Between two focused combatants, the socially awkward Ruby, and a Weiss who didn't want to be there, the hostility hovering around her was simply too much to bear. She ignored it as best she could, but would be glad when the fight began.

A few miles from Vale, the party came to a location where the tree density lightened up. While not exactly a true clearing, it would do just as well. The girls set up quickly. Blake stood on the right of the loose copse. Pyrrha positioned herself a few feet away on the left. The other three observed the action from a fair distance away. The last thing they wanted was to be caught in the crossfire.

"We probably should have talk about this before hand, but what are the rules?" Called Weiss.

"Tournament rules," answered Pyrrha. "Full contact. When one person's Aura drops below a certain point, or she is unable to continue, she is defeated." It seemed unfair to everyone present that Pyrrha should be the one setting the boundaries, but as nobody had any better ideas, they let it slide.

"I understand," Blake agreed to the terms.

The duelists drew their weapons. Blake simply held hers at her side. Pyrrha stood at a sidelong angle, shield out in front of her and sword held high. The wind blew, elevating the tension between them. Their patience balanced on the edge of a knife. At the slightest provocation, it would fail.

The ladies sized up their competition. Just by the way they stood, the differences in fighting styles here was abundantly obvious. Blake had a much more aggressive and tenacious way of going about things. Pyrrha, on the other hand, tended slightly more toward tactics, especially if a fight was unavoidable. They yearned to see what this meant for the coming brawl. The tension between them could sustain itself no longer. It snapped.

Blake opened the bout. She leapt into a spinning flurry of attacks. Pyrrha blocked each one. To create some space, the redhead stabbed with the full extent of her arm. She quickly spun and comboed this into a viscous downward strike.

Blake would not be taken so easily. She blocked and came back with another spin move. This time she struck in smooth vertical motions, alternating blades on the first twirl and then slicing with both on the second.

Pyrrha blocked high with sword hand supporting her shield. It was at this point she realized her strength advantage. She ran forward, pushing Blake back. The raven-haired girl was more than agile enough to keep with this momentum, and simply matched steps with the redhead. After they'd run several feet, Pyrrha heaved forward.

Blake stumbled back. Pyrrha spun and lashed out with the flat of her shield but was blocked with a glancing blade. She quickly came back and hit in the opposite direction with her shield edge. Blake found this attack much harder to stop. Pyrrha's elbow curved around her cleaver and struck her in the elbow. Blake dragged her blade down against her opponent's arm.

The women separated. Blake's expression contorted into a feral sneer. Both combatants took damage from that exchange, but she was the one currently worse for wear.

It was Pyrrha who reinstated the battle. She sliced low. Her foe stepped out of the way. The redhead transitioned quickly into a knee strike, using the rise from her lowered stance to give added momentum. Blake blocked with her hands, a mistake. Pyrrha attempted to stab high at her exposed face.

The bronze blade slipped through, but its target faded into purple wisps. An afterimage. The real Blake zoomed forward with a powerful high front kick. Pyrrha was not at all ready for this. Her chin took the full force of the attack. The fire-haired woman turned around once as she stumbled back, just barely keeping her balance.

To anyone watching the battle, it was clear the two were evenly matched. Blake's speed and agility meshed perfectly with Pyrrha's patience and raw power. They were two master artists, engaged in a battle for the ages. Victory here would be a pure demonstration of sheer, unadulterated skill.

They came together again, this time exchanging an equal volley of blows. With each strike came a ripost. They both used their duel weapons to great effect, attacking with speed and ferocity. They were completely even in this. Neither side could win in such a burst.

At the end of this blizzard of motion Pyrrha sliced for Blake's throat. The latter blocked and came down with her cleaver. Pyrrha blocked with her shield and attempted a similar slice. Blake stepped out of the way and deflected the bronze blade off to one side, using her enemy's momentum as a weapon. In the same motion, she struck over her shoulder at Pyrrha's newly exposed weapon side.

It seemed as though the blade would connect. However, some unseen force acted upon Blake's weapon. A thick, black glow enveloped Pyrrha's hand. Against her will, Blake felt something push on her cleaver as it moved. Try as she might, it was impossible to resist. Pyrrha sidestepped, and the attack missed her by inches. Before Blake could react, Pyrrha's shield met her midsection. She took a deep breath and a few steps back to recover from the hit.

What had just happened? That was a surefire strike, an easy cut, and yet Blake missed. She put it down to adrenaline, but that explanation didn't satisfy her. Something else was going on. She decided to proceed with metered caution.

They met for a few more quick volleys, and experienced similar results. Each side took hits, but no clear advantage could be given. This wasn't working. Blake began to lose her patience. If she could not acquire an edge through the natural flow of battle, she would just have to force it.

She jumped back providing ample space between herself and the other woman. Blake returned both katana and cleaver to her back in favor of her other weapon, the kusarigama sickle and chain. She began to twirl it around at breakneck speeds. A lacerating barrier formed in front of her.

Pyrrha kept her distance, smart enough to avoid stepping into such a torrent. This was exactly what the other woman wanted. Give her opponent pause, make the enemy fight on her terms. Blake excelled in this field. She now had the advantage in speed, reach, and momentum.

The redhead waited, biding her time. The moment she tried to attack against such a malleable weapon her defenses would fall and she would lose. She had to think of something. Pyrrha watched the sickle closely, observing every nuance of its rotation. As Blake kept her movements varied, it did not fall into any sort of pattern. What's more, the blade itself moved way too fast for her to follow.

However, as Pyrrha continued to watch, she did notice something odd about it, a single key weakness. Every time Blake went from an outside rotation to an inside one, there was a split second where the weapon slowed down in its fight to overcome gravity.

Pyrrha watched, waiting for the perfect time. With each pass she honed in on the moment, drilling it into her mind until finally her plan clicked into place. As the sickle spun inward, Pyrrha hurled her shield. The sickle flared over to an outwards twirl. At the same moment it did, the shield met its mark. Its sharp edge sliced clean through the black ribbon to which the sickle clung. The latter rocketed harmlessly into the air, landing somewhere in the trees behind.

Blake looked up in amazement just in time to see her limp ribbon fall before her face. Pyrrha's shield ricocheted off of two trees in its return journey to her wrist, but something was wrong. The angles at which it bounced were unnatural. Blake also noticed the black glow which again enveloped her foe's hand.

Tricky. Very clever, indeed. Although Pyrrha tried to conceal her ability in order to stay ahead of her enemies, Blake was far too smart for that. She'd been fighting her entire life. Little escaped her comprehension. It didn't take long for her to figure out what went on. The eery manipulation of her cleaver, and now the bouncing of the shield, it all made sense. This was Pyrrha's semblance. She had control over magnetism.

This certainly threw a twist into the situation. How do you fight an enemy if your weapons are useless? Blake had little time to ponder this. Pyrrha charged and attempted to strike vertically. Blake leapt up into one of the trees. As her foot lighted down on a branch, the answer came to her.

Blake jumped higher into the tree, but only to gain access to the smaller limbs. She drew her katana and with two clean cuts liberated a pair of short branches. She pushed off from the trunk of the tree and sailed a bit through the air to land on the opposite side of the clearing. As she stood, Blake quickly sliced away any obtrusive twigs from the branches. Finished with her sword, Blake threw it and her cleaver away. She assumed a fighting stance, holding the blunt instruments as if they were swords.

Seeing this, Pyrrha gave her a look of agitated approval. A lack of metal almost completely removed the use of her semblance. Blake prayed this would work. Being made from an inferior material, the redhead's sword should not be able to cut easily through the wood. In terms of damage, Blake only had to weaken the woman, not kill her. The branches would perform fine in that regard. It was simply durability which worried her.

With a smirk, Pyrrha advanced on her opponent. Blake did the same. They met on what could be considered the exact middle of the field. Pyrrha struck down. Moment of truth. Blake crossed her weapons. They did not absorb the impact as well as metal would, but the held up. Pyrrha's blade did not pass through, much to her chagrin.

Inspired with a new confidence, Blake went on the offensive. She lashed out with both sticks, hammering into Pyrrha's shield with one and then the other. She brought them around her head and struck from the same angle again with both simultaneously. The redhead was allowed no time to recover. Blake repeated a move from before, spinning with vertical strikes which alternated weapons. She slashed up and then down with both.

Pyrrha had to get out from underneath this. On Blake's last attack she rolled forward, avoiding the hit. She quickly stood and rounded on her foe from behind, bringing shield and then sword down in rapid succession. Blake stepped back out of the way and whacked her across the face with a branch.

Pyrrha's hand flew up to her cheek. She sneered. This was getting tiresome. She threw her sword like a javelin at Blake's face and charged immediately after it. Blake deflected the blade upward and then crossed her weapons to meet Pyrrha's momentum.

They collided, but Pyrrha did not push back. All she really did was knock into Blake with her shield. The raven-haired girl was not even phased. Pyrrha stepped back. There was a smile on her face. Something about it raised a red flag with Blake. She looked at the woman's empty sword hand to find it permeated with a black glow.

Everything slid into place a moment too late. Blake's turned to see Pyrrha's sword hovering in mid air not even a foot away from her face. Her eyes widened. No time to react. The blade accelerated, smashing into Blake's forehead. She slammed into the ground headfirst. Pain took over her senses as she lay flat. Pyrrha knew not to let up. She closed on the downed girl and put her blade against her neck.

"Yield!" She ordered through gritted teeth. The spark of combat persisted in Blake's eyes only briefly. She shut her lids and nodded. Pyrrha immediately removed her weapon and replaced it with an outstretched hand. "I'm really sorry."

Although Blake could detect the sincerity of her words, the last thing she wanted was to accept help from the woman who just bested her. It was far too degrading. Blake knocked her hand aside and sat up of her own power. Pyrrha looked hurt, but took the rejection in stride.

Blake got up on one knee and was rising, empty handed, to her feet when the sound of singular applause filled the air. She looked for its source. Yang was walking toward them, clapping slowly. The other two girls followed close behind her.

"That was amazing," she mused. "Absolutely brilliant."

"I agree," added Weiss. "The skill and speed from both of you, it was as if you were Atlesian." Coming from a proud citizen of Atlas, this was the absolute highest praise.

"You did a really good job," complimented Pyrrha. "I didn't know if I would win there for a while."

"And the thing with the branches? Genius!" Ruby threw her opinion into the mix. Blake gave all of them baffled glances.

"I'm... confused," she shook her head. "I lost, and yet you all keep praising me. I thought this was a test. What's going on here?"

"Blake, it was never about whether or not you won," Yang began. "We just wanted to see how well you held up in a real fight. I'm _very _impressed. We all are."

"Shall we put it to a vote?" Weiss offered.

"I think you just did," Pyrrha said with a giggle.

Yang extended her hand. "Congratulations. Blake Belladonna, allow me to be the first to welcome you to the Beacon."

A still puzzled but also elated Blake shook her hand.

**Notes: And there you have it. All of my plans going forward rely on a united team RWBY so if it feels like I rushed in accomplishing that, I'm sorry. Just know I have much more in the works. Like the previous chapter I feel this one mostly speaks for itself, so I don't have much to say about it specifically. Reviews/questions/suggestions are always welcome. **


	17. The Departed

Roman Torchwick had his head in his hands. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. The words entered his ears, and his brain understood, he just simply refused to lend any credence to them. He also wasn't entirely sure how to react. Anger, disappointment, and frustration were all possible emotions. Perhaps a mixture of the three made most sense.

He stood in the middle of a conversation with his lieutenant. The two were in a large and dark warehouse. This particular room was stacked with boxes and crates all the way up to the thin windows just below the roof. Beams of sunlight streamed in through the dirty panes, catching the particles which danced among them.

Tired and stressed, Roman leaned back on the table behind him. His sudden weight on the wooden top sent tumbling an inkwell. It shattered on contact with the floor, spilling its contents all over the boards. Roman pinched the bridge of his nose, throwing his other hand up in aggravation. The loss of ink was a small annoyance, but it was just the catalyst he needed to flare his temper. Had he not the years of experience dealing with incompetent henchmen, he would have completely lost control. Instead, his rage boiled just below the surface. He took a deep breath.

"So, let me get this straight—" He began with a wince.

"I don't think there's too much more to tell," his lieutenant interrupted.

"No, no, I want to be sure I have everything _exactly_ right." Roman dropped his hand and looked up. "The D_ynamic Duo_ went against my plan, the Shadow got away—just like I said she would—and now she's disappeared?"

"That's the gist of it," the lieutenant shrugged. "We've been watching her apartment and she hasn't been back yet."

"No, because she's not stupid." Roman said. He popped off the table and began to pace. "I _told_ them to split up. Do you know why?" He demanded. The lieutenant sighed.

"Because the bookstore owner didn't need—" He started.

"Because that sideburned son of a bitch didn't need _both_ of them. And what did I say would happen if they didn't split up?"

"The Shadow would get away?"

"The Shadow would get away," Roman confirmed. He facepalmed. "Where are they now?"

"I don't know," the lieutenant said. "They haven't been back yet."

Roman threw his hands up again. "Of course not! Why did I even have to ask?" He sighed, turning to his lieutenant. "Tell me when they come back. I want to have a word with them, _alone._"

"Roman, if you hurt them—" The lieutenant began in a cautionary tone.

"I'm not gonna hurt them." Roman was offended at the insinuation. "I'm just gonna put the fear of God in them."

"I don't see how that's any better..." The lieutenant trailed off.

"You're right, it's worse. That's the point." Roman grabbed up his cane and straightened his jacket. He made a dismissive gesture toward his lieutenant. "Now, run along. I have other things to do."

The lieutenant saluted before departing without a word. Roman lingered for a moment. He didn't know where the faunus was going, and he didn't really care. Torchwick took a moment to inspect the map which hung above the table. It was a geographical representation of Vale city. He had taken the liberty of drawing red lines all around it, separating the city into homemade districts. They reflected what each area of town had to offer, be it Dust, miscellaneous loot, or dumb guards.

He scowled at the map. It had been made years ago for his own personal use. It served a purpose now in his current operation, but was rarely used as of late. As the White Fang conducted business outside of the city, a map of it declined in utility. Roman didn't like this development. Information was king in this business. Information he gathered himself was even better.

Finished with his little perusal, Roman began toward the southwest corner of the room. Along the way he passed many, _many_ crates. All of this stuff had either been stolen personally by him or his associates, but all that felt so long ago. He couldn't even remember what was in most of them, or why what he _did_ recall had been taken in the first place. When Roman reached his destination in the corner, he descended a very long, very narrow staircase.

The basement he ended up in was absolutely abuzz with activity. The people working in it couldn't be any more obviously scientists if they tried. White lab coats, work gloves, safety glasses, they were almost comical in appearance. They worked in little groups all over the wide square space. Most tended to various chemistry apparatuses. Others occupied themselves with differing projects. One group took tissue samples from living frogs. Another seemed to be making some sort of physics based machine for guiding a ball through all sorts of crazy obstacles. Roman was pretty sure they weren't actually supposed to be doing that, but it didn't matter. He wasn't in charge of them, not necessarily.

From all of the various chemistry stations, glass tubse ran up along the wall and across the ceiling. They created a network of conduits which all snaked toward the back of the room. Roman couldn't see where they led to past all the other stuff in his way, nor did he need to. That project hadn't showed any progress in months. No reason to believe that would change any time soon.

"Where the hell's the doctor?" He called into the open space, causing many heads to turn to him.

At his beckon, a man slinked away from one of the workstations. Short and old, what was left of his gray hair clung messily to his temples. He was dressed similarly to the others. His glasses were so very thick, they glinted in the light and completely concealed his eyes no matter from what angle he was observed. He walked over to Torchwick. While they spoke, he continually scribbled away on his clipboard.

"Antoly!" Roman greeted with partially faked enthusiasm. "I'm having a bad day. Please give me some good news."

"Well, the beast is still alive, so that's a start," he said without looking up. Antoly had the same kind of accent as the lieutenant, only much thicker.

"Oh, yes," Roman peered around the doctor. He saw a very similar goliath laying down in a cage barely big enough for it to stand in. Although hard to tell from its expressionless face and red eyes, it looked utterly defeated. "How is our big friend?"

Antoly glanced over his shoulder. "You managed to catch him at a good time. You should have been here an hour ago."

"Lively as ever, then," observed Torchwick. Antoly nodded. "And, how about our _other_ friend?" He said.

For the first time, Antoly stopped writing. He paused as if mulling over the best response. Her corked up his inkwell and began to walk away.

"It's easier if I just show you," he said. Roman jogged a few steps to catch up with him before matching his pace.

The doctor led him even further into the bowels of the facility. They went down another set of stairs, although this one was much shorter. The place they ended up in was narrow but much taller than the previous two areas. It was little more than a massive corridor. On both sides were large steel cells, each one big enough to hold a giant nevermore with its wings tucked in. They were all empty. The hall reeked of something absolutely foul.

"That's not a good smell, Antoly," Roman stated, breathing into a scented handkerchief.

After a short walk, they came to the source of the stench. Roman could not really describe what it was, other than a mangled corpse. It looked like some bastardized combination of a goliath Creature of Grimm, and a regular elephant. It shared elements of both, black skin blending randomly into a rough grey hide. This trend continued all the way along the animal. The beginnings of bony spikes poked through its skin. Some of the blood which leaked from them was still fresh. The tissue around where a protective skull plate had tried to form was torn and bloody. At some point its underside had split open, spilling entrails all over the place. All of this sat upon a bed of assorted Dust types.

Roman was positively revolted. He audibly swallowed his vomit. "What am I looking at here, Doc?"

"Another failed experiment." Antoly shook his head.

"Yeah, thanks, I can see that. What does it mean?"

"It means we aren't getting anywhere, at least not very fast." Antoly pushed up his glasses.

"But, it looks different than the others," said Roman. "It's more... complete."

"Different, yes, but that doesn't mean better," corrected the doctor. "It's still too similar to either species, and it didn't last much longer than the others."

"So, what are you gonna do about it?" Roman couldn't keep the menace from his voice.

"Try again, that's all we can do." Antoly turned around and began to walk back toward the stairs. "I have a few things I want to try, some tests to run. If they're successful, I'll get in contact with you."

"Good enough, I guess." Roman followed the doctor out. That wasn't the answer he expected. These weren't the results he wanted. They weren't what his _employer_ wanted, more specifically. But, the path of science was a slow and troubled one. It had always been that way. Roman didn't have to like it, but he had to deal with it. All this strife was worth it if the plan paid off.

…

A shovel dug into the earth, scooping away a small packet of dirt. Three more impacts followed rapidly behind it in asynchronous rhythm. Four men worked tirelessly at the bottom of what would be a 6-foot deep rectangular hole. With each slice the minor cavern grew just a bit deeper. They had been working for quite a while, and were almost done.

Each man would disappear momentarily as he bent down to lift up another lot, only to resurface a second later. Although anachronic, the men were quite organized, never once bumping into one another or crossing outside their lanes. They were professionals.

Diligent and backbreaking was their work. It wasn't a job most people would want to do, and not just for the physical labor aspect. Digging holes was only a small part. Employment in this field carried many emotional traumas as well. It was not for the faint of heart... or stomach.

Their collective task only persisted a few minutes more. The men performed a quick check of the hole just to make sure it was mostly even, and then hopped out. This was only step one, however. The proceeded on to the next phase without pause. A simple apparatus was placed over the hole. It consisted of thick linen straps fastened between metal tubes. The whole thing was attached via series of gears and pulleys to a hand crank.

Upon the straps was gently placed a wooden casket. The design was indicative of the time, tall and gently domed at the top. Finely sanded and finished with dark lacquer, furnished in bronze for added strength and detail, it had been purchased on short notice with noble coin.

One of the men worked at the crank. The rest faded back, giving the grave ample room. The casket slowly lowered into the hole, descending to its final resting place. Each rotation unspooled more of the linen and brought the casket closer. It was dead quiet. Even the world itself stood still in reverence. A melancholy chill presided over the moment.

The casket softly set upon the freshly tilled soil, fully underground. When it could fall no lower, the remaining man quickly gathered up the straps. He undid each from one side and pulled them lengthwise out from underneath the container one at a time. When this was finished he quickly made himself scarce, standing with his coworkers.

All men having departed, only the bystanders—five young women—were left. They stood around the grave, peering somberly into the hole. For a time they were silent, letting the moment speak for itself. Each felt the weight of sadness on her shoulders, even though most had never been acquainted with the deceased.

It was from one woman this sorrow seeped. Blake stood directly in the middle of the five. A black hood and lower face mask concealed her identity. Being out in the open like this with a terrorist organization after her was dangerous, but a proper burial was worth the risk. Her breaths were deep and even. She blinked and shook her head. She had to remain strong. She promised herself not to cry.

"Does anyone want to say a few words?" Pyrrha asked after she felt the moment of silence had gone on an appropriate length.

"I never knew Tukson personally," began Yang, "but I wish I had. From what I've heard he was kind, patient, and passionate. He fought for what he believed in, no matter the risk. He was loyal and cared deeply for the few he called friends. The world is truly at a loss without him."

"He was a good man," echoed Ruby.

Silence grew among them again. Blake did not speak up, and no one expected her to. As the only one of them to ever know Tukson, her silence was the most understandable. Her sadness could be felt by those around her, but never shared.

It was Weiss who next shared her sentiments. She did not speak, but rather a beautiful harmony elicited from her vocal cords. As Weiss sang, she never lifted her head, directing her words solely toward the dearly departed.

_Of all the money that e'er I had  
I've spent it in good company  
And all the harm that e'er I've done  
Alas it was to none but me_

_And all I've done for want of wit  
To memory now I can't recall  
So fill to me the parting glass  
Good night and joy be with you all _

_Of all the comrades that e'er I had  
They're sorry for my going away  
And all the sweethearts that e'er I loved  
They wished me one more day to stay_

_But since it falls unto my lot  
That I should rise and you should not  
I'll gently rise and softly call  
Good night and joy be with you all _

Her voice was delicate and pure, soft like a sweet lullaby. The words resonated deep within the souls of those who listened. Blake lost her internal battle. No longer able to contain the emotions which welled up inside, tears fell freely from her eyes, becoming caught up in her mask. Ruby wiped away moisture from under her lids. Yang barely kept her own feelings in check. Although the least visibly shaken up, Pyrrha also experienced profound sadness. Death was an unavoidable truth in her line of work, but that didn't make intimate affairs like this any easier to cope with.

"Thank you, Weiss," Blake said, wiping her cheeks. The heiress nodded in response, fearing her voice would crack should she try to speak.

Finally it was Pyrrha's turn to offer condolences. She drew her sword from her back. In a clean motion, she cut a lock of hair from her head. With a steady hand she dropped it atop the casket.

"In Mistral, it is tradition to offer locks of hair to the departed. It helps keep them connected to our world in the afterlife. I'm not a very spiritual person, but it seemed appropriate." Pyrrha sheathed her sword.

"Thank you, Pyrrha." Said Blake, perfectly mimicking the pitch she used with Weiss.

Yang could feel the ceremony drawing to a close. Everyone had offered their peace. To extend it longer would be improper. She motioned for the undertakers to return. They converged on the burial site. In tandem, the men began to shovel dirt over the casket.

At their arrival, Blake turned on point and began to walk away. This alarmed the five girls. It wasn't her departure which alerted them. This process must have been painful to endure, and wanting to distance herself from it was completely understandable. Rather the sudden shift in atmosphere around her caused concern.

The remaining girls all wanted to take after her, to comfort their new friend, but it was Yang who beat them all to the punch. She jogged after Blake, catching up with her in a few steps.

"Blake!" She called. The raven-haired girl stopped but kept her back turned. "Are you okay?" That was a dumb question. Of _course_ Blake was not okay. Yang just couldn't think of anything else to say.

"I don't know, I just need to be alone." Blake tried her best at an even tone. She turned to Yang. "The White Fang will pay for what they've done. Not just to Tukson, but to everyone. That's a promise."

Blake walked away with that and Yang let her go, a look of pure shock on her face. Now, she had looked at herself in the mirror while her semblance was active before, but never in her life had she seen such blazing fire in the eyes of a person. The White Fang had chosen the wrong person to anger. Not even God's mercy could save them from the wrath of Blake Belladonna.

**Notes: This chapter is a bit shorter than the others, which is why I was able to finish it so quickly. I thought about leaving it out entirely, but I feel it provides important context and closure for the villains and heroes respectively. It may not be my best writing, but that's okay. These moments need to stand on their own. **


	18. Team Building

The stone wall before them gave way, parting in a manner both magnificent and unnatural. As the rocks slid they revealed what had been hidden, both outside and in. Four women entered into the space, walking past where the ground had just impeded their path. But one lingered, far too stunned to exit her tunnel. The others realized her absence quite quickly. They turned to see Blake Belladonna frozen in place, eyes big as grapefruit.

"I... I don't," the flabbergasted girl struggled to say.

"Amazing, isn't it?" Yang asked with a smile.

"How is this even possible?"

"A lot of men, a lot of Dust, and a lot of time," answered Pyrrha. Blake quickly flicked a glance in the redhead's direction, but did not respond further. She seemed completely incapable of motion.

Yang rolled her eyes. "Come on, now." She grabbed her teammate by the wrist and led her into the chasm. Blake made no attempt to resist. Yang stopped them a few feet ahead of the others. "Welcome to the Beacon."

Now completely outside of the tunnel, Blake fully took in her surroundings. She tried to see everything at once, her head on a constant swivel. Oblivious was she to the grins of her comrades. They remembered how they had reacted upon first seeing the Beacon. They probably looked similar back then. Blake's mind reeled. She'd seen quite a lot in her time, but never anything like this. Such a space, she hadn't even thought it possible. She wondered when this dream would end.

"I'm going on ahead." The sound of Pyrrha's voice snapped Blake out of her fantasy. "I'm sure you know the drill by now?"

"Yeah, yeah," Yang dismissed with a wave. "We got it."

Pyrrha scowled, unconvinced. "Just don't linger too long. Jaune will be waiting in the keep." She turned and walked away at her normal brisk pace.

"The keep?" Blake wondered aloud. She looked around some more, trying to locate the object of her puzzlement. When her gaze returned forward she found it. Her jaw dropped in sheer awe. "I didn't even notice that. How did I miss something that big?" She requested of no one in particular.

Ruby couldn't hold it in anymore. She laughed. Blake shot her an acrid glare. The younger girl diverted her gaze momentarily and ceased her giggles. She couldn't keep the grin from her face, though.

"Sorry. It's just funny to see someone else experience all of this for the first time," she apologized.

"You should've seen the look on your face when _you_ first got here," Yang teased.

"I know, that's what I'm saying!" Agreed Ruby. Weiss rolled her eyes at the sisters but smiled, knowing she was in the same boat.

"You wanna see what it looks like on the inside?" Yang asked of Blake. The latter diverted her gaze momentarily then gave a sheepish nod. Yang's heart skipped a beat. She never thought the raven-haired warrior could be so absolutely adorable. She shook the cobwebs from her brain. "Come on, then." Yang pulled the girl by the wrist for a few steps. When confident Blake would follow on her own, she let go.

Apparently, Ruby also picked up on Blake's apprehension, because she spoke up about it.

"It's okay to be excited, Blake," she said. "This place _is_ really cool." The faunus gave her a quick look. "Come on, smile!" All she got in response was another look. Unsatisfied, Ruby began playfully poking the girl in the ribs. "Smile..."

The two grappled for a few seconds. Blake batted at Ruby's hands, and the younger girl kept coming. This went on until Blake cracked a wide grin. Ruby returned the expression and stopped her assault.

"Alright, alright, you win," conceded Blake. The two resumed a normal walking posture. "This place is... _interesting_, to say the least."

"Good food, too," Yang commented in an attempt to make conversation. "The keep chefs are amazing. They get a lot of fish from ocean nearby. You like seafood, right?"

Blake raised an eyebrow at her. "What's _that_ supposed to mean?" She crossed her arms. Yang wore the visage of pure mortification.

"I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to imply that... I'm sorry, Blake, I—" She scrambled to apologize, but stopped when Blake hid a chuckle behind her hand.

"I was only kidding," she laughed. "I know what you meant."

The other two girls giggled, and Yang wilted just slightly. It was usually her who had fun at the expense of others. She wasn't entirely sure how to handle a flipping of the script. But, seeing the others happy—and Blake come out of her shell, if only a little bit—helped calm any dejection she may have felt. If anyone deserved to have some fun, it was Blake.

The girls made their way to the citadel, taking their time for Blake's sake. Unlike when they had arrived, there was no hurry, no schedule to uphold. Sure, Jaune was waiting, but he could suck it up. They were tired. A break from the boring brown of the tunnel was exactly what they needed to initiate a second wind. And the sights would distract Blake from her recent tragedy.

To the girls already familiar with the Beacon, it seemed more or less the same. People still traveled this way and that. Merchants still hawked their wares. Peter Port hammered away at some new project up ahead. The city bustled with activity, just as it always did.

It startled Yang just how quickly she'd grown used to her surroundings. An underground city hidden inside a mountain was sure to amaze anyone, yes, but its luster only lasted so long. Kind of like how people who live on the coast tire of the sea. Maybe it was down to the city also being related to her job. That certainly made sense, even though she had only been among their ranks a few days. For whatever reason, the Beacon simply didn't take her breath away like it did the first time she saw it.

In time, they made it to the keep. Just as promised, Jaune was waiting for them. After predictably awkward introductions, he led them into the castle and down a familiar hallway. Just as she did outside, Blake constantly looked around. This was the most important part of the city, by far, and it was even more remarkable from the inside. She took especial notice of the library. So many books, so little time. Where would she even start?

When they reached the throne room, Jaune stopped them short of the six guards. He lingered just long enough for the atmosphere to become uncomfortable. Sometimes, it was hard to believe this blonde buffoon led his own team.

"Go in any time you like. Glynda should be with you shortly," he said.

"His Grace isn't here?" Weiss asked.

"No. Ozpin still has business elsewhere. Glynda meets new recruits in his stead."

"Ozpin?" Blake breathed. "Like, _King_ Ozpin?"

"Oh, yeah, guess I should've mentioned before." Jaune scratched the back of his head. "King Ozpin sorta... runs the Beacon." As was becoming a trend, Blake's jaw dropped.

"Wait," Ruby interjected while her teammate recovered. "Pyrrha said membership isn't official until a recruit has met with the Master. Does that mean Blake won't be a member?"

"No, not exactly," corrected Jaune. "That's really more of a formality than anything. As the second in command, Glynda reserves the right to initiate new members in the Master's stead. Blake will go on missions, be placed on a team, and enjoy all the other perks of membership."

Yang raised an eyebrow. "There are perks?"

"It was a figure of speech," said Jaune. Yang sighed.

"I'm getting real tired of all your bullshit tradition, Jaune." She said.

"I know you are," replied Jaune. He paused for a moment. "Now, if you would please go inside. As I said, Glynda will be here momentarily."

"Right. Come on, guys." Ruby led them into the throne room. The guards pulled their same schtick, turning as the girls passed while the final pair opened the doors for them. Jaune departed after they had all gone through the entrance.

The girls walked to the end of the room and stood before the throne. There they waited. Yang tapped her foot and Weiss crossed her arms. Ruby fiddled with her hair. Blake, confused, simply looked at them all in turn.

"So, is this waiting part of the process?" She asked after a moment.

"Looks like it," remarked Yang.

They continued to idle for a few minutes more. Three of them were used to the waiting, but that actually made it worse. They were simply tired of it. This was the third time they'd been forced to wait. Once or dramatic effect was fine, but it grew irksome after that.

From lack of engagement, time seemed to drag on. In reality, not long at all had passed before the doors opened and in stormed Glynda, more agitated than normal. She threatened to break her riding crop in half from the death grip she held it in. She charged the throne like a woman on a mission.

"I apologize for my tardiness," she said through gritted teeth. "Someone was supposed to inform me of your return, but I guess they missed the memo."

With zero communication, Yang and Weiss separated to allow Glynda passage. Although they knew little of the graceful blonde, the four of them could tell she was not one to trifle with. Goodwitch stopped in front of the throne and turned, hands clasped behind her back.

"I'm sorry, where are my manners?" She spoke to Blake specifically. "It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Ms. Belladonna. My name is Glynda Goodwitch, commanding officer of the Beacon."

"The pleasure is all mine, Lady Goodwitch." Blake gave a graceful bow. She held her right arm on her midriff, and gave a flourish with the left.

"Lady?" Glynda chuckled. "Ms. Belladonna, there is no rank within the Beacon. All are equals, here."

Blake straightened. "But, if all are equals, then why are you the commanding officer?"

"Militarily, the Beacon needs structure. Myself and others are here to provide it. Socially, we are all the same," explained Glynda. Blake didn't know it, but she'd just asked a question the other three girls had wondered at for a while, but never got around to voicing.

"I understand. It won't happen again." Blake bowed her head in reverence. Glynda rolled her eyes. Blake's submission showed she did _not_ actually understand, but best to let it go.

"What have you companions told you of the Beacon?" Glynda moved on.

"Nothing," Blake answered simply.

"We weren't sure what we were allowed to tell," explained Yang.

"No, you were right to remain silent," commended Glynda. "Normally, operational information is saved for the second day, but as Ozpin is not here, we will be doing this my way. Members of the Beacon operate in four man squads or _teams_, which are further divided into pairs." She adjusted her glasses. "Ruby Rose, Weiss Schnee, Blake Belladonna, Yang Xiao Long. Each of you has been selected for your talents both on and off the battlefield. Together, you will serve us as the team codenamed RWBY, led by Ruby Rose."

At this revelation, Ruby's face lit up in a combination of ecstasy, confusion, and anxiety. Yang elbowed her in the ribs and gave a congratulatory thumbs up.

Goodwitch continued. "The further pairings will be Ruby and Weiss; Blake and Yang. You will work closely with your partner. Watch each other's backs. Be a willing ear and strong shoulder for their burdens. You will work together for the foreseeable future. You will be like sisters."

Reflexively, each of the girls looked to their new partners. None of them knew what this bond would entail. Ruby was quite disappointed and nervous she was not paired with her actual sister. She gave Weiss a weak smile and received only a indefinite scowl in return.

"As members of the Beacon, you serve to protect the innocent and helpless from all which may wish them harm; be it man, beast, or otherwise. Fight well, keep our secrets, and seek to destroy evil no matter the cost. These are your responsibilities. Do you accept your duties as members of our prestigious order?"

The girls all agreed in their own way. Yang voiced "aye!" in a hearty tone. Weiss and Ruby both curtsied. Blake simply nodded. One thing they could all agree on, though? There wasn't much choice in the matter.

"Very well. Allow me to be the first to officially name you team RWBY. Welcome to the Beacon." Glyda gave a nod. "Now, that out of the way," she dropped her formal tone, "you have all been through quite a lot. I grant you three days rest and relaxation. You've earned it."

The girls exchanged puzzled looks, unsure of how to proceed. As the newly appointed team leader, Ruby decided to step up and fill the void.

"So, what do we do?" She asked.

"Whatever you want," Glyda answered simply. "Train, sleep, explore, this is your own personal time. You don't even have to stay in the city. Just make sure you return on the fourth day. I'm sure we'll have something for you by then." This explanation seemed to satisfy the girls, as they did not speak further. "Are there any questions?" Still, only silence met her. "Very well. You are dismissed. Enjoy your leave. Try to make the most of it."

As a team the girls departed the throne room. Their heads swam with all the new information just imparted upon them. Teams, partners, responsibilities, it was all extremely new to them. This free time would be needed to come to terms with everything which transpired. But, they were glad to be given the opportunity to think and relax. Glynda was right, they _had_ been through quite the ordeal, Blake especially. A slower pace would do them a world of good.

Out of the four, none were as uneasy or ambivalent as Ruby. Her mind moved at a mile a minute as she walked with her team down the hall. They climbed the stairs, headed for their quarters, but the younger girl did not really pay attention. She had bigger things to worry about.

"Me, a team leader..." she wondered aloud, not exactly meaning to.

"You'll be fine," Yang reassured. She put an arm around her sister's shoulders. "You came up with the plan to kill that dragon, remember? And, you stopped Ice Queen and I from bickering."

"Hey!" Weiss called in offense. Yang ignored her.

"And besides, you're not alone. You've got the three of us looking out for you." The blonde finished. Ruby looked to her other teammates. Blake gave her an affirmative nod. Weiss looked away at first, but returned shortly with a miniscule grin.

"Thanks, guys," Ruby said, truly humbled but also honored.

"Don't mention it!" Yang said. She opened the door to their quarters and entered in. "Now, I don't know about the rest of you, but I plan to sleep these next three days." She flopped down on her bed for emphasis.

"Actually," began Blake. "If no one minds, I'd like to go check out that library we saw coming in." She addressed this inquiry to Ruby.

"Blake, you don't need to ask," the younger girl reassured. "I'm not your mother."

Blake nodded and strode out of the room, but not fast enough to hide the deep scarlet hue which bloomed on her face.

"What about you, m'Lady?" Yang used Weiss's title out of habit.

"I don't know." Her stomach audibly growled. She sighed in embarrassment. "Go eat lunch, I guess."

"Ooh, good idea!" Agreed Ruby. The two departed together, leaving Yang alone in the room. She laced her fingers behind her head and sank into the pillow as far as she could. Contentedly, the blonde closed her eyes.

Now, each of the girls had their own method for passing the next three days. Yang stayed mostly true to her word and spent most of the time doing absolutely nothing. Weiss and Blake both read entirely too many books, although the content of their chosen tomes differed. While Blake preferred whimsical tales of heroism and romance, the cultured heiress tended toward nonfiction. Weiss absorbed every bit of knowledge she possibly could. The world was a den of fools, and only the smart survived. Ever since she was a little girl Weiss knew this to be true. She did her best to make sure she was smart.

Weiss also trained with the former two women. While intelligence was all well and good, it did not swing a sword. Violence was the way of the fool. The intellectuals must know how to properly defend themselves. So, the heiress maintained a refreshing regimen both for herself and her teammates. Little more than light sparring, it was not much in depth. It simply served to keep their skills sharp, and blades sharper.

Although open to all four of them—and not necessarily exclusive to team RWBY, either—one person was noticeably missing from these little sessions. Ruby had not shown her face once. Indeed, the other three hardly even saw her. She disappeared for long lengths at a time, returning to sleep and eat only to vanish once more.

This annoyed Weiss, to put it bluntly. Even though Glynda had said they could spend their free time however they chose, it still seemed prudent to be with one's team. Ruby was their leader. She had a responsibility to lead, to inspect her troops and enhance unit cohesion.

The only reason Weiss did not pursue action on the matter was reasoning from Yang's counsel. Apparently this behavior was not unusual for the younger girl. According to the blonde, Ruby was the kind of person who did not like to stop once she started working on something. She'd missed entire weeks in the past simply to finish a project, and this was probably what presently occupied her. Even Weiss had to admit this trait was quite admirable. She decided to simply leaver her partner be. Just like everyone else, Ruby had skills to maintain. She was justified in doing so.

When late on the third day Weiss received a messenger, she was instantly curious. Ruby had requested her presence at an address in the city. This raised several red flags. First off, why not just reach out herself? Second, why the unspecific nature? Ruby had simply said to meet her. No context or justification, not even an "it's a surprise." Weiss had zero knowledge what she was getting herself into. It angered her just slightly. She didn't have time to waste if this ended up a simple distraction.

Weiss made her way quickly though the busy Beacon streets, only getting lost once. She admitted this was one area where her partner may have an advantage. Spending so much time away from the keep undoubtedly gave her better knowledge of the surrounding area. This only further aggravated the Lady, and again presented the question of why _meeting_ Ruby at this location was at all necessary.

After what was surely a longer than required allotment, Weiss arrived at the requested location. She checked a slip of paper in her hand against the building a few times. It certainly matched the description; a simple little shop between two normal houses. The biggest giveaway, however, was the presence of Ruby inside. She stood back-to the entrance making repetitive back and forth motions with her left hand. What exactly she worked on was hidden, but at the apex of her motion Weiss could make out a dark stained white rag.

Weiss entered through the front door of the establishment. A bell announced her presence, but Ruby did not react to the noise. She simply continued on with her work. Weiss tried to peek around the girl to catch a glimpse, but her cape obscured the object quite well. The heiress gave a sigh.

"Is this where you've been?" She said. Ruby gave an adorable start and spun around, hands behind her back.

"Yes, Lady Weiss!" Said the girl. "I, uh, see you got my message." She winced. It was painfully obvious she hid something behind her back. Weiss gave her a knowing look.

"What was it you wanted to show me?" Weiss asked. Ruby wore a confused look.

"I don't remember saying I wanted—" She began coyly.

"Ruby," Weiss cautioned.

Her partner sighed and stepped around in front of the counter. She was obviously nervous. The girl hesitated for moment, fidgeting under the gaze of the heiress. Weiss was starting to lose her patience, one thing she didn't' have much of. Ruby must have detected this, because she revealed what had been behind her back.

A sword. Ruby held it horizontal in one hand by its metal hilt, supporting the long and thin blade with her other hand. This was not what immediately jumped out about the weapon, however. Instead of a traditional handguard, it instead sported a sort of rotating drum just above the hilt. Protecting it—and for added flair—were a quartet of evenly spaced steel arches in a swept, batwing design. It was one of the most beautiful weapons she'd ever seen.

Weiss immediately recognized the layout. They were specialist implements, uncommon and extremely difficult to produce. She herself had only ever seen one. It belonged to her first teacher. It was a weapon known as a multi-action Dust rapier. Initially taken aback by the sword, Weiss regained her composure with haste.

"Is this another gift for my father? You know, after you lost the last one?" Weiss said, only half in jest.

"No, silly." Ruby beamed. "It's for you."

All of the steadiness Weiss thought she'd recovered vanished in an instant. The heiress wished she could have seen the look on her face, because it was probably a hilarious mixture of happiness and astonishment. She physically recoiled a couple inches, looking at the sword with wide eyes.

"For... me?" She breathed in wonder.

"Yeah. I know the sword you brought with you to Patch got destroyed, and that you don't really like using an ice blade. I thought if you were gonna be part of the Beacon you should have a proper weapon, so I made you one." Ruby said excitedly. Her expression was pure joy.

"I... I don't know what to say." Weiss's bewilderment had not worn off. If anything, it grew. "Ruby, you didn't have to."

"Ah, but I _wanted_ to," clarified the girl. When Weiss still made no motion to take the rapier, Ruby decided to formally present it. She got down on one knee and bowed her head, holding the blade up to its intended recipient.

Weiss paused before taking the weapon. She held it up in front of her face, the immaculately polished blade catching fire light from outside. Testing the edge, she ran the tips of her fingers along the blade. It was smooth and razor sharp. Clumsier digits would have been sheered clean off. The metal sported no hammer marks, no signs of work whatsoever. It was as if nature itself forged the steel.

Weiss gave the weapon a test thrust, lashing out cleanly at an invisible foe to her right. One would think the drum and arches would make the sword too heavy. This could not be further from the truth. It was light as a feather yet weighted in the right places. The balance was perfect. The blade gave an excellent amount of flex, sturdy and strong but still malleable enough to bend and retract without breaking. Weiss had yet to feel it with Dust loaded in the chambers, but she highly doubted this would make any difference at all.

Her trials complete, Weiss returned to admiring the blade. At this time Ruby stood back up, grinning from ear to ear. The two girls locked eyes.

"Ruby..." said Weiss. Suddenly determined, she fished around in her purse with her free hand. "How much do you want? Three, four-hundred? I'll write you a bank note."

"No, m'Lady." Ruby gently took Weiss's hand, moving it away from her coin. "Please, I don't want anything. It's a gift."

Weiss was shocked. She resumed digging though her purse. "Don't be ridiculous. Just name your price, I'll match it." Again Ruby moved her hand away, more insistent this time.

"I'm serious, you don't have to pay me," she said. "Lady Weiss, not everyone wants your money or your name. Sometimes people just want to do something nice for you, as friends."

That last word resonated deeply with Weiss. It may sound dumb, but she never really had _friends_ before. Most nobles didn't. It was just a fact of life for them. They simply lacked the proper time for meaningful relationships outside of family. Yes, Weiss played with other young lords an ladies when she was a child, but most of them she wouldn't even call acquaintances.

To this effect, she hadn't even considered her relationship with Ruby or her other teammates. They were coworkers and associates, just like most other people she knew, but perhaps such broad terms weren't sufficient enough. Perhaps a stronger word was needed.

"Ruby, I... Thank you so much. It's beautiful." At a complete loss, these were the only words Weiss could manage.

Ruby smiled even brighter than before. "You're very welcome. I'm so glad you like it, m'Lady."

"Don't call me that."

"Call you what?" Ruby cocked her head to one side.

"_Lady_," clarified Weiss. "It's just Weiss, okay? My friends should have to use my title."

"Okay, Weiss," Ruby said, chipper. "Come on, lets go show the others."

The younger girl began out of the shop. Weiss rolled her eyes and followed. She felt an unfamiliar warmth in her heart, as if she were calm and anxious all at the same time. Was this how it felt to have friends? Weiss knew one thing, she never wanted the feeling to fade.

**Notes:** **Although not the most emotional or action-packed of chapters, this was a necessary bridging point to the next portion of the story. Sometimes it's important to take a step back and focus on team building. *roll credits* **

**I'd like to take a moment and thank all of my readers and reviewers for sticking with me through 18 chapters. It's because of you I've been able to continue writing, and why I have no plans on stopping short. Every single one of you is awesome. **

**As always, reviews are forever welcome. **


	19. Ransom

The morning of the fourth day. Team RWBY walked down a long and somewhat dim corridor, completely enclosed and thus lit by that strange glowing mineral set into torch sconces. Their allotted time for rest and relaxation over, they were en route to report to their first real assignment as a full team. Hearts fluttered and their steps had a certain spring to them. The girls were excited. Even the normally baseline tempers of Weiss and Blake spiked. All four anxiously awaited their next gig, almost like children on Christmas morning.

Compared to other parts of the castle, this hallway was practically dead. One furtjer layer underground, it was slightly cooler than the rest of the chasm. No one else walked its depths. Team RWBY were the only inhabitants. There were a few other rooms at uneven intervals, but the doors were closed and no noise betrayed any other presence. In a word, it was boring. The only objects of interest were the double doors at the end. They were of heavy oak and banded in thick iron. Whatever lay on the other side was clearly important enough to protect.

The girls would not have to wait to find out. Yang, as the one in front, gave the doors a playful tug. She did not expect them to be open. Imagine her amazement when the sesame gave way. Yang pulled the doors to their full extent and all of them entered.

This room was perhaps the most obvious armory in the world. Longer than it was wide, four equidistant pillars in the middle held up the arched ceiling. The shelves were lined with all manor of arms and armor. Swords and spears, maille and gambeson, it was all there, neatly sorted for easy access. The only implement missing was any sort of plate armor, as it relied very much on a proper fit. People were simply too varied in build to bother stocking solid metal plates.

Glynda stood in the middle of the four pillars. She seemed impatient as ever, but her stance was not quite as square. She was in a good mood. For some reason, this terrified the members of team RWBY.

"Good morning, girls," greeted Glynda. Three of the women returned her greeting. A certain blonde, however, forwent her niceties.

"Why are we in the armory?" Yang asked.

"I'll get to that in a minute," nodded Glynda. "Just as I predicted, we do indeed have the perfect assignment for you."

"Then let's hear it." Encouraged Yang in a hearty voice.

"One way the Beacon makes money is through mercenary contracts. We take bounties under fake names and collect the rewards," Glynda began.

"And that's what we'll be doing?" Asked Blake.

"Precisely. The first son of a minor noble family in Vale, the Marquees, was recently kidnapped. Instead of pay his considerable ransom, the family put out a contract. We accepted." Explained the older blonde.

"That seems kinda small scale for the Beacon," Weiss observed.

"Normally, it would be. The petty squabbles of noble families don't interest us. However, we think the White Fang may be involved on this one." Glynda's revelation floored the girls. They exchanged troubled glances. The atmosphere in the room became much heavier.

"What makes you think the White Fang did this?" Blake asked.

"The skill with which the operation was executed. The boy was taken from his heavily guarded room in the night, no signs of a struggle or forced entry. The guards say no one came and went through neither the door nor the window, and they never heard anything."

"Sounds like an inside job to me." Yang's police training kicked in.

"Possibly," granted Glynda, "but that would require paying off several guards. Frankly, the boy isn't worth that kind of effort."

"So you think it must have been professional thieves." Ruby filled in the blanks.

"Well, this certainly isn't something normal street thugs could do," agreed Glynda.

"But, why would the White Fang bother with kidnapping in the first place?" Blake continued with her questions.

"They have to make their money somehow," Glynda said. "We've been trying to figure it out for years, but they cover their tracks very well. We think various criminal acts like this may be one way of acquiring coin."

"I certainly wouldn't put it past them," said Yang.

"So, having said all that, your job is to find where the boy is being held and rescue him," Glynda said with a sense of finality.

"How do we do that?" Intoned Ruby.

"We set up a meeting with two of the kidnappers at our plantation, a place where we can control some of the variables. They think you're bringing the ransom. They will know where the boy is."

"Are you sure you really want us on this," Weiss questioned.

"What do you mean?" Glynda raised an eyebrow.

"I mean, this seems like it could be a rather volatile political situation," Weiss explained. "We're still pretty new. Are you sure you don't want a more experienced team?"

Yang resisted the urge to punch the heiress. This seemed like an easy gig. She would wring her dainty little neck if Weiss got them assigned to something harder.

"Well," began Glynda, "there's a nest of giant nevermores harassing a back road to Vacuo, an ancient deathstalker which took out the last team we sent after it, and a roaming herd of goliaths which has wandered a bit too close to Vale. If you'd like, I could happily put you on one of these missions instead."

Weiss shied away. "No, thank you," she muttered, embarrassed at the tongue lashing. Glynda smirked in self-satisfaction and returned to addressing the whole group.

"Do you know what you have to do?" She asked.

"I think we understand," Ruby nodded. The other three copied her.

"Good, then there's just one more thing." Glynda paused to make sure they were all paying attention. "We don't know who's in charge of this operation but whoever he his, he may have information about how the White Fang funds itself. If possible, find out who he is from the kidnappers and confront him."

"Is this a priority?" Blake asked.

"No," Glynda said flatly. "We don't know if the opportunity will present itself, so your main objective is the boy. However, if it does become available, I expect you to take it."

"You can count on us, ma'am." Ruby saluted humorously. Glynda was not amused. The younger girl dropped her hand awkwardly under her gaze.

"You'll need the proper disguises for the mission," Glynda moved right along.

With a flick of her riding crop, a small trunk slid out from behind the pillar to her right. Another brandish opened the box. Inside were four heraldic tabards in the noble family's colors, three stars crested above a black bear upon a filed of pale blue and yellow. It also had an official looking metal seal of the bear.

"We met in the armory because this is where the supplies were delivered, and I didn't feel like ordering anyone to move them." Glynda answered Yang's first question.

The girls converged on the trunk. Glynda stepped out of the way to allow them access. Ruby extracted one of the tabards. The younger girl held it below her chin to check the fit. It was a bit big for her, but not overly so. She turned to Weiss and smiled. The heiress only rolled her eyes and picked out a garment of her own. She was not particularly thrilled at the prospect of sporting another family's herald.

…

The trip to Vale was not exactly eventful. They took the tunnel, as that was the much easier option. With the exception of present company, it was not much different than the first two times. They rode horses through the passage and camped out on the first night. The biggest difference was the exclusion of a guide. During her downtime, Yang had been selected to learn an Aura blast technique. It was the only thing she actually did other than train and sleep.

It had been a lengthy process, taking multiple hours of practice each day, but the blonde eventually got to the point where she could do it at least most of the time. In reality, it was not much different from her semblance blasts. This allowed her to catch on much quicker than most people. Even her instructor—a speedy man with green hair—remarked how easily she took to the skill.

Now, even though there was no one around to see, Yang felt like a right fool dressed up as lapdog man-at-arms. The tabard was too big for her. None of the girls wore their clothing correctly. The gaudy pastels didn't help, either. She commended the Beacon for trying, and realized the necessity of such attire, but that didn't make the current situation any better. If any of this went off without a hitch, she'd cut her hair.

The journey through the claustrophobic tunnel was quite unremarkable. All conversation topics wore out within the first few hours. The girls were left to travel in silence as they rode their horses so very deep underground. All mysticism was also gone. The tunnel didn't impress them just by existing. These things combined made the trek seem so much longer than it was.

A little after noon on the second day the girls came to the end of the line. Yang dismounted and approached where the steep incline of the tunnel met the surface. This was her time to shine. She put her fists together at her midriff. Several slow, deep breaths served to calm her nerves. She felt the power course through her, ebbing with each passing moment. It threatened to burst out, rip her apart from the inside. It was frightening, but she felt _alive._

When the power was at its apex, when Yang could take it no longer, she thrust upward. Her palms struck the ceiling in one great motion. There was a pause and... nothing. The Aura within her simply vanished, returning to normal levels. There was no sound, nor shockwave. The only thing Yang accomplished was to hurt her hands.

Mortified, Yang looked at her gauntleted palms, which throbbed with inflammation and pain. She flexed her fingers and felt nothing out of place. Good. At least her hands weren't broken. It was at this moment she felt a disturbing tingle on her neck. Yang turned to see the other girls giving her skeptical and unimpressed glares. The worst was Weiss, who almost seemed smug at her failure.

"Yang?" Ruby said out of concern.

"No, wait, I can do this," the blonde reassured. She resumed the stance and began deep breathing once again.

"I swear to _God_ Yang, if we get stuck in here because of you—" Weiss warned.

"Shut up!" Yang snapped. "I need to focus."

Aura broiled within her for a second time. Yang allowed it to. She couldn't figure out what went wrong, but her immediate suspicion was impatience. She simply hadn't waited long enough for the appropriate amount of power to build up. So, for this attempt, Yang held it longer. The pressure inside accumulated at an alarming rate, screaming to be released. It was painful. Yang felt as though her body were being stretched and expanded. Channeling so much Aura was not exactly a pleasant experience, but it never hurt like this before. She gritted her teeth, fighting through the pain. Just a few seconds longer. If she could just hold a few seconds longer...

When the pain became too much to bear, Yang threw her arms up. She closed her eyes. Her palms impacted with the ceiling above her. Again, the power vanished, but it was different this time. In a rush, all of the energy exited through her hands. It as accompanied by a boom. The blast was weak. The ground didn't even shake. But it got the job done. The rock began to part, just as it was supposed to.

Yang smiled. Through labored breaths, she looked back at her comrades. Ruby looked excited and Blake returned her expression. Weiss looked away with her nose upturned. Clearly, she was still angry the job of door-opener hadn't been ensconced on her. Yang let it go. The heiress could be proud, but that was part of her charm. It was this pride which would eventually allow her to get over it.

"See? Nothing to it," Yang joked, wiping sweat from her brow.

Yang got back on her horse. She waited for the others to catch up before starting toward the surface.

"We saw you do it back at the Beacon," Blake observed. "There was no reason to believe you would fail here."

"I know, but it still feels good," Yang argued. Blake nodded in response, allowing her partner a moment of gratification.

Yang led them out of the hole. She crested up on the surface and found herself in a familiar stable. The blonde took a moment to stretch her arms, already appreciating the open air. When her joints were thoroughly lubricated, she spun her horse about. Upon turning around, she froze in place, eyes wide.

Ruby was the next person out of the tunnel, followed closely by the other two girls. She noticed her sister's strange posture.

"What is it?" She asked, spinning her own animal around in search of Yang's disturbance. She found it immediately and mirrored her expression. Blake and Weiss also caught on at around this time. All four stared down their target.

A stable boy stood a few feet from the hole in the ground. A few layers of well-used gray cloth were draped over his arm. He'd been placing them on the stall doors for the use of any future riders. The boy locked eyes with Yang primarily, although is gaze did flick between all of them.

The tension which grew between them escalated quickly. None of the girls knew what to do. They rational parts of their brains tried to break through, but shock would not permit it. As quickly as the incident arose, however, it was nullified. The boy dropped his shoulders, blinked a few times, and returned to his task as if nothing ever happened. Now, the girls were more confused than anything else.

"Sorry," the stable boy said. "I don't come in here very often, so I sometimes forget there's a secret hole in the ground." He was barely an adult, maybe in his twenties, with curly dark hair and tanned skin. He had the look of someone who'd been working his whole life. Yang couldn't help but notice how handsome he was.

"Oh, that's right," Ruby realized. "Remember? Pyrrha said this place is a front for the Beacon."

"Oh yeah," agreed Yang. "I don't know what we were so worried about." She tried to play the whole thing off, scratching the back of her head with a forced smile. The tunnel began to close.

"Wait, so are _you_ a member of the Beacon?" Weiss asked.

"No." The boy placed a rag on a stall. "I mean, my father is, but I was never really interested in all that. The Beacon needs people they can trust in this place, so here I am." He placed another rag and gazed up pensively. "I don't really mind, though. I like horses." As if coming to his senses, he looked at the girls. "Sorry, I didn't mean to carry on like that. I'm sure you have more important things to do."

"Don't worry about it," Yang—the charismatic one—said. "After two days down there, any new voice is refreshing."

The boy grinned. "Yeah, I'm sure it would be." He returned to his task. Yang put her horse in one of the stalls and then walked over to a more comfortable speaking distance with the boy. While they spoke, the others deposited their own mounts.

"We're actually here to negotiate a hostage exchange. Would you know anything about that?" She asked. The boy stopped his work again.

"You'll want to talk to our overseer. He's the one that coordinates with your leadership. You can find him at the manor."

"Alright, thanks for the info," Yang said. She began out of the stable. Weiss brought up the rear.

"Wait," she stopped in front of the boy. "I have a question." The other three halted their advance and turned to her.

"Of course," the boy offered.

"I'm just curious. How much do you know about that tunnel?" She asked. The air in the room thickened considerably. This never occurred to the other girls. The more people who knew about Beacon's underground city, the harder a secret it would be to keep.

"Not anything, really," the boy shrugged. "None of us do, not even the overseer. I didn't even know it was a tunnel until you said it. We're told what the Beacon is, but that's it. I just know operatives sometimes come out of the ground and I shouldn't bother them." He looked away as he finished, embarrassed he'd broken the rules.

"It's alright," Weiss said with a sigh. "It's not like we don't have time to kill." At her words, the boy brightened back to his previous state.

"Thanks again for all your help," Yang called back to him as the girls left.

"Don't mention it." He waved. Weiss rejoined her team and they departed the stable. When they were far enough away to be out of earshot, Ruby spoke up.

"He's kinda cute," she remarked.

"He's too old for you," warned Yang.

"I _know_," Ruby whined. "I'm just _saying_."

The four entered into the manor. It was a fine home, opulent and large enough for a wealthy landowner to live in quite comfortably. Its decorations were warm and clean, floor plan open and well cared for. It was the kind of place Yang would have loved to spend more time in, if only to dream of one day being rich. But, there was a job to do. She could always come back later, under less pressing circumstances.

A couple questions found them the overseer in short order. A brief conversation with the middle-aged man saw the girls to the common area. It functioned essentially as a break room. Just large enough to accommodate the seven round tables spaced out within it, the room was sparsely populated. It was after lunch, after all. Only two other tables were occupied, and neither sat more than four people.

And here they waited. This part of the job was definitely worse than the journey. Anticipation welled within all of them. Whatever the encounter would entail, they wanted to get it over with. On top of anxiety, however, Yang felt something else. Her eyes darted around the room, scrutinizing every little detail. Ruby noticed how jumpy her sister had become.

"What's wrong, Yang?" She asked.

"I don't know..." the blonde trailed off. "Something about this doesn't feel right."

"What do you mean?" Continued Ruby.

"I didn't realize until I got here, but look at this place. We're in the middle of nowhere," Yang made a wide gesture for emphasis. "What criminals in their right mind would meet all the way out here?"

"Maybe they're not in their right mind?" Pondered Ruby.

"That's a good bet if it's the White Fang." Blake chimed in.

"Maybe," Yang agreed. "Just keep your eyes open."

A couple long, monotonous hours passed while the girls sat in the common area. To say they were miffed would be an understatement. A time had been set for the meeting, more or less in line with the team's expected arrival at the site. They were somewhat early, but not so much so. This was ridiculous. A legitimate strategy by the criminals, but ridiculous. Over the past week, they'd all had quite enough of waiting.

Yang had her head down on the table trying to avoid slumber when she felt someone jostle her shoulder. She looked first at Ruby, and then toward the entrance. Two men had come into the room. They were quite obviously the men team RWBY waited for, betrayed not by temperament or attire, but because they were the only ones who didn't look like plantation hands. Indeed, they had a certain posh quality about them. Yang doubted they even knew what a plantation really was.

The two men noticed them almost immediately. RWBY's disguises made them easy to pick out. They began toward the table. One of them, a slightly older man with spiky blonde hair and a devilish look, lead the other. He was clearly the one in charge.

"Let me handle the negotiations," Weiss whispered to her teammates. Ruby nodded approval.

A second later the men reached the table. Weiss stood, hands clasped behind her back. The blonde man paused for a moment, looking over his present company.

"You must be from the Marquee family?" He said with a knowing tone.

"Abigail Boyer," Weiss offered a fake name as well as a handshake. "At your service, sirs." They shook briefly. Weiss gestured for them to sit and they did.

"We weren't expecting four soldiers," the blonde man observed.

"Well, one can never be too careful." Weiss forced a smile.

"Sure. Let's get right down to business," the blonde man progressed the conversation. "Show us the agreed upon amount, and we'll tell you where the boy is."

"Very well." Weiss fished around in the pouch at her belt and extracted a narrow piece of paper. She handed it to the man. He inspected it curiously with a disapproving squint to his eyes.

"A bank note?" He raised a brow.

"Redeemable at the First Bank of Vale, for the amount of thirty-thousand gold pieces, plus ten percent interest," Weiss explained. "Let no one say the noble Marquee house is not generous."

"This was not part of the deal," the blonde man sneered.

"I think we can both agree toting a chest full of gold through a bustling city such as Vale is not exactly the safest of ideas," Weiss asserted. "This way, we get here in one piece, and you get your money."

"She _does_ have a point." The second man spoke for the first time.

"Oh, shut up," the blonde man snapped.

"We held up our end of the bargain, so now it's time you did the same." Weiss allowed no chance for further argument. "Where is the boy?"

The blonde man pondered the situation for a moment. He had a sinister smile on his face, one which instantly alerted the girls. Blake put a hand on her crossbow underneath the table. Yang activated her Aura.

"You know," he began, "this is good money and all, but I think four noble officers such as yourselves would also fetch a pretty penny." He narrowed his eyes. "So, we'll be taking you as well."

At his words six more men entered the room, shuffling quickly through the door. These new assailants were dressed in the garb of White Fang assassins, white hoods, breastplates, and masks. The girls stood up all at the same time. Yang threw the table out of the way. It landed somewhere in the far corner.

The eight White Fang attackers surrounded team RWBY. The girls drew their weapons and stood in a tight diamond formation, each one of them facing outward.

"And things were going so _well_, too," joked Yang as the men closed in around them.

**Notes: Originally, this was going to be just the beginning of a much longer passage. However, as I began writing I realized just how long it would have been, so I decided to split it up. This full rescue mission will most likely end up as two chapters, but it may very well be three. I don't know yet. If you liked this chapter, or even if you didn't, feel free to leave a quick review. Anything, even a simple "good work," would be much appreciated. **


	20. Negotiations

Team RWBY took up defensive positions. They stood facing outward, weapons raised, ready to meet the enemy which surrounded them. Yang wore a mischievous grin. She dropped her hands, opting instead to stand with her arms at her side as if nothing were amiss. Her casual attitude angered the blonde man, who had discussed the young lord's ransom with the girls only moments before. He sneered and raised his sword.

The eight White Fang soldiers slowly encroached on the trapped prey. It was clear they meant to end this without a fight, if possible. Their leadership in this instance was inept. Any commander worth his salt could see the girls meant to resist. The blonde man was not worth his salt.

"If you guy's want to sit this one out, I can take them," Yang offered in jest.

"Come on, where's the fun in that?" Blake jabbed back.

"Just try not to kill anyone," said Ruby, more of a request than an order.

Yang took this as permission to attack. As she moved, so did her teammates. The situation devolved quickly into a brawl. She honed in on the blonde man. He attempted a wide horizontal swing. It was not a bad cut, just not nearly good enough. Yang caught his blade well before it reached her. She held his arm at full extension and put her other hand underneath his armpit. With a great heave Yang flipped him over her head. She planted him into the ground hard with a blast from her semblance for emphasis.

Immediately, Yang rounded on her second opponent, a random assassin. She spun around and leapt into the air, leveling a powerful axe kick into his head. The assassin's blade contacted her inner thigh, but it was a paltry slice. Her Aura did such a good job deflecting the attack, Yang hardly even felt the hit. Her foe went down face-first. She gave him three semblance assisted punches to the back of the head just to make sure he was out for the count.

Weiss took a quick second to look over the two men in front of her. They were identically dressed. Both carried similar arming swords. One of them did not grip his weapon properly. If he tried to swing the misaligned edge would deflect. He couldn't even cut paper with a stance like that. Weiss mentally facepalmed. If this was the caliber of soldier the White Fang recruited, why were they such an undeniable problem?

She walked toward the men, sword held at her side. They charged at her. One of them tried a vertical chop. Weiss deflected his blade forward and to the side with her own. In the same motion, the heiress extended her open palm. The soldier collided nose-first with the glyph she created. He flew back a few feet and flipped over his head once to land face down.

The other assassin came at Weiss while her arm was still extended. He tried to slice at the exposed limb. Weiss parried the attack with a downward motion. This maneuver both redirected his momentum harmlessly to the side, and also cut across his chest. So sharp was her Myrtenaster, it cleaved clean through his armor. A shallow cut across his chest oozed blood. Weiss gave him three quick stabs—one for each shoulder and then his left thigh—careful to avoid his vitals, as per Ruby's request.

The assassin fell at her feet. Weiss kicked him away with a glyph, just to get him out of her sight. With a sigh, she pinched the bridge of her nose. She didn't have time for this.

Ruby faced down the only soldier who did not carry an arming sword. Instead, he fought with a great axe. He came at her and attempted a big overhead swing. Ruby blocked with her hands wide on the handle of her scythe. In the same motion she rotated her weapon. The butt end of her haft whipped the axeman in the face. He took the hit like a champion, only flinching for a second, but it was more than long enough for Ruby to place her blade around his back.

Demonstrating expert control, she spun around and slowly angled her blade upward. The scythe looped around his torso, cutting him in a thin curving line. The wound never strayed deep enough to kill, but it caused enough pain to plant the man on his back.

A second opponent tried to attack Ruby. Courageous of him, after that display. Ruby stopped him with a quick jab to the face, utilizing the exposed bit of haft near her scythe's head. He reeled. Ruby comboed quickly into an upward slice, lopping off a meaty chunk of his thigh. He cried out and the younger girl prodded him over. He collapsed pathetically.

The final two soldiers—one of whom was the other ransom negotiator—came at Blake simultaneously, one on each side. She blocked, dedicating a weapon to each. The faunus created an afterimage and stepped back. As soon a she did, the assassin's blades slid through the false projection. Blake used their momentary confusion to rush forward, striking up at them, again with one sword for each.

She cut shallowly across their midsections. They both bent double. Blake stepped behind them. She finished the one on her left off with a crescent kick to the head. With the same foot she transitioned into a standard side kick into the back of her remaining foe. They both fell forward, bloody and beaten, but alive. Blake did not understand why Ruby forbade killing them, but she respected her leader enough to follow orders.

In what may have been the shortest melee in history, all of the White Fang forces were eliminated. The action transpired all at once. It mustn't have lasted more than thirty seconds. The extremists writhed or lay still on the floor in various states of disrepair. They all still drew breath, though. Team RWBY stood victorious over their underwhelming assailants.

Another commotion sprang up from Blake's left. She turned to see Yang laying into the blonde man. She held him by the collar and leveled several punches into his already bruised face. Her teammates gathered 'round but made no attempt to stop the assault. They all wanted to have a go at him. He was a jerk. After the sixth hit, Yang ceased.

"You should've just taken the money," she said. The blonde man smiled.

"We were just following orders, love," he quipped, earning him a punch.

"Where are you keeping Lord Marquee?" She began her questioning.

"You_ really_ think I'm gonna tell you?" The blonde man snapped. Yang hit him a few more times.

"If you do, I'll stop hitting you," she reasoned.

"Do your worst," he challenged. "It's nothing compared to what my employer will do if I talk."

"And who would that be?" Yang shifted her focus.

"Someone much stronger than whoever it is you work for. Probably pays better, too." The blonde man smiled again. Something about the arrogant look on his face annoyed Yang. She resumed punching him. Perhaps a bit more punishment would loosen his tongue.

"Give it a rest, Yang. This is pointless," Weiss said. Her teammate stopped and gave the heiress a surprised look.

"Are you _defending_ him?" She accused.

"No, but it's obvious he isn't gonna talk," Weiss clarified. "He might not even know anything."

"Yeah, listen to the Ice Queen," insulted the blonde man. Weiss gave him an aggravated kick to the head.

"Why does _everyone _call me that?" She threw her hands up in frustration.

Blake stepped in. "Why don't you let me take a stab at him?" She offered. Without waiting for a response, she took him by the back of the shirt.

"All yours." Yang released her captive into the care of her partner. Blake began to drag the man toward the door. He made no attempt to resist.

"Wait, where are you going?" Ruby stopped her. Blake craned her neck around to look at her leader.

"Trust me, you don't wanna see this." Before anyone could try to stop her again Blake slipped out of the room, prisoner in tow.

An extremely uncomfortable silence followed her departure. The remaining members of team RWBY shuddered to think what their teammate would do to the poor man. Ruby actually felt bad for him. As the quite stretched on, she wished Blake would just get it over with and return. However, she quickly learned to be careful with her wishes.

From somewhere in the distance, a high-pitched and terrifying scream rang out. Although faint, the agony within it was clear. This person was in unimaginable pain, the kind most people only ever read about. It faded away only to return again, this time even louder and more piercing. It sounded strained as if its utterer were using the full strength of their lungs. When it petered out, it was replaced once more but this time the shrieks were interrupted by a frighteningly familiar voice.

"OH GOD, WHY!?" The blonde man cried. "Make her stop! Someone please, make her stop!" His tone shook with audible tears.

His disheveled cries were replaced with further bone-chilling screams. From inside the plantation manor, the three Beacon operatives listened in stunned horror, staring wide-eyed in the direction of the cacophony. Yang moved in behind Ruby and covered the younger girl's ears in an attempt to protect her innocence. Ruby reached up and did the same for her sister.

Weiss, however, was offered no such solace and instead was forced to simply listen in terror. She made a mental note to herself: whatever happens, do _not_ piss off Blake.

After an unbearable couple minutes, the screams faded. The girls let out mental sighs of relief. It was over. Now, they all _definitely_ felt bad for him. Where at first silence was uncomfortable, it now was welcomed with open arms. Silence meant they didn't have to listen to a man pleading for mercy anymore. Yang and Ruby both dropped their arms.

A few more minutes after the terrible shrieking stopped, Blake returned. Her teammates turned to her with blank expressions. They didn't know what to think. Should they be afraid? Instinctively, Yang looked at Blake's hands. They were stained with the pale red remnants of wiped away blood.

Blake spoke. "His name is Stuart, he's thirty-one years old, and he wet the bed until he was twelve." Her words weren't untrue, but were meant to lighten the mood. Instead, they had no palpable effect whatsoever. The attempt at humor failed, she moved on to more pressing matters. "I got him to talk. Lord Marquee is being held in a cave along the coast to the north, guarded by about two dozen men. He even had a map in his pocket."

Blake held up a folded over piece of parchment. Yang took it and began to inspect the article. It was a simple map, showing the location of Vale and a drawn path culminating with an X. A few landmarks were noted to make the thing easier to follow, but it still made little sense.

"And did he say anything about whoever's in charge of all this?" Weiss asked.

"Yes, I was getting to that," confirmed Blake. "He's a man by the name of Lyle, works for a lending business called Mason and Lyle. He's in Vale, and apparently never leaves his office."

"Uh... good, I think." Ruby was at a crossroads. On one hand she was glad to have this information. On the other, she could not approve of how it was acquired.

"We should go after him first," Weiss observed. "He'll probably get suspicious when his goons are late."

"But, won't the guys at the cave also think something's up when they don't hear anything?" Yang challenged.

The four pondered this for a moment. It was certainly a conundrum. The young Lord was their primary objective, but they also couldn't let whatever information this Lyle may have slip away. There had to be a way to accomplish both tasks.

"Why don't we split up?" Ruby said. "Weiss and I will go after Lyle, and you two can go fetch Marquee."

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Yang asked.

"What's wrong, don't think you can handle a few bad guys?" Ruby teased. Yang crossed her arms and gave her an annoyed look. "Do you have any better ideas?"

"No," Yang dropped her arms and sighed.

"Then it's settled. We'll meet back here when everything is all said and done." Ruby ordered.

"Let's go crack some heads," Yang joked. Ruby rolled her eyes.

"Just try not to kill anyone." The younger girl repeated a previous statement. Again, Blake was curious, but held her tongue. This was not the time. Besides, that incident with the blonde man probably put her out of her leader's good graces. Best not argue with her until _after_ the mission.

…

Weiss and Ruby walked through the streets of Vale. Both had shed their gaudy Marquee tabards in favor of their normal clothes underneath. The former led the way. This was not any sort of leadership decision. Weiss just happened to be the one walking in front. They both knew exactly where they were going... more or less.

This particular stretch of road was pretty nondescript. The cobblestone street played host to a number of patrons both on foot and mounted. Every once in a while a cart loaded with various goods would pass. The pedestrians wore clothes befitting of their station, not overly fine but far from rags. Buildings cropped up on both sides. It could have been any middle-class section of any city in the world.

The heiress led with purpose and direction, but it hadn't started out this way. Upon entering the city, the two only knew the name of their destined establishment. Vale was a big city and they hadn't the first idea where to look. Time was of the essence. They had to reach Lyle before he began to suspect.

When asking for directions—an act Weiss already despised—the size of Vale worked well against them. The guard at the gate hadn't even heard of Mason and Lyle. Other citizens proved about as useful. On more than one occasion, they'd been sent in one direction only to be turned around by the next person they asked.

It was at this point Ruby had an epiphany. They'd been getting bad directions because they were asking the wrong kind of people. The citizens who most often asked for loans were middle-class. In this aspect, Weiss could help. She'd been to the city enough times to know where each district was. The moment they entered the correct area, they not only found an older woman who knew exactly where to point them, but had been there before.

It was this path which the partners now traversed. Occasionally Weiss would stop to ask for further directions, just to make sure they were headed in the right way. Every person they questioned confirmed they were indeed on the right track. Weiss kicked herself. They should have done this in the first place. She should have known better. But, what's done is done. The walk wasn't necessarily unpleasant, and she could count it as her exercise for the day. Silver linings, right?

All in all, it took them maybe twenty-five minutes to reach their destination. It was a tenement-style office building which played host to a few different businesses. It lay just on the edge of the current district. Weiss couldn't see what lay behind it, but given what she knew of the city layout, it was probably a slightly lower income plot.

The two came to a stop at the front door. To its left were a collection of sign placards, denoting what businesses lay inside.

"Is this the place?" Ruby asked while Weiss inspected the signs. The latter pointed to the third one down.

"Mason and Lyle Lending Group," she confirmed. "Says they're on the third floor."

"Then what are we waiting for?"

Again, Weiss took up the lead only because she was in front. The door opened up immediately to a flight of stairs. To the left and right of it was whatever business lay on the first floor, but it did not concern the girls. They walked up the stairs. Walls closed in tight around the flight for a stretch and then gave way to the second floor.

Weiss did look around for a moment upon cresting this height. While she had no idea what this company actually was, it seemed to be clerical in nature. People worked independently at shared desks and tables, scribbling letters on fine paper with dark ink. She'd always had respect for clerks. Such menial work, but so necessary for the functioning of society. But she had no desire to linger here, and moved on.

At the top of the stairs they were met not with another open area, but instead a door. It was made of dark wood and clouded glass, neither of which matched the aesthetic of the building. Weiss had a sneaking suspicion it had been added after the structure was finished. A similar placard to the one outside had been set into the glass. Mason and Lyle. If this Lyle had an ego to match his number of signs, then he would certainly be _fun_ to deal with. They paused at the door.

"Do you want me to do the talking?" Weiss asked of their leader.

"That would probably be best," Ruby said. Weiss nodded. As the trained diplomat of the team, these sorts of negotiations were best left to her. She took a deep breath and opened the door.

They were immediately greeted with a wide square room, in the middle of which sat a front desk. A few chairs off to the left indicated this was also a waiting area. Upon the opening of the door, the secretary looked up at them from her chair in the desk. She was a pretty woman in her mid-twenties, with dark hair pulled into a ponytail and slim glasses. She smiled sweetly at them as they entered.

"Welcome to Mason and Lyle," she said in an obviously rehearsed way. "Is there anything I can help you with?"

"Yes," Weiss began, "Is Mr. Lyle in?"

"Of course. Do you have an appointment?" The secretary began flipping through a planner on her desk.

"Do we need one?" Weiss raised an eyebrow. "It's kinda weird for a loan service to not do walk-ins." She observed. The secretary forced a smile.

"It's just for record purposes," she clarified. "Mr. Lyle isn't busy right now, so you can go right in. He's the door on your left, just knock first."

Weiss nodded before following instructions. She led Ruby left. There was a short hallway with a conference room immediately to the right and a closed door dead ahead. This door was much like the entrance, albeit without the sign. Through the glass, the silhouette of a man was barely distinguishable. The pane made him look rather large, but it also seemed to distort his desk and bookshelves as well. Weiss gave three knocks on the glass.

"Yes, come in," a deep and distinguished sounding voice answered.

Weiss opened the door. Upon seeing the man inside, she realized the glass hadn't had as much of an effect on him as she thought. It was a large man. Copious amounts of fine red cloth striped vertically with yellow covered his heavy form. Most of the silver hair upon his head was gone. Only a thin strip clung to a ring level with his ears. Thick stubble covered his face and double chin.

He was a greasy old man. Weiss did not like the look he gave her when she first walked in. She detested the one he shot toward Ruby even more. He would forever regret it if he even thought about touching the younger girl. Ruby was only fifteen. Any man who would make a pass at such an innocent child deserved neither pity nor mercy.

"Mr. Lyle?" Weiss presumed.

"The one and only." He smiled, flashing yellow teeth. "Are you ladies looking for a loan?"

"Something like that," said Weiss. "Do you mind if we close the door?"

"Not at all," Lyle agreed. Weiss gave Ruby a nod and the younger girl closed the door. As soon as she did, the atmosphere in the room changed dramatically. Weiss narrowed her eyes and approached Lyle's desk.

"I'm gonna be blunt, here." She leaned forward, supporting herself with a flat hand on the desk. Lyle sank back in his chair. "I know you're involved with the White Fang. I know you're in charge of Lord Marquee's kidnapping. Just answer all my questions, and everything will go smoothly."

"I... I don't know what your talking about," Lyle blustered.

"You don't?" Weiss stood and walked a couple steps to the left. "Funny, a conniving little blond man told me different. That is, before I cut out his tongue." The heiress embellished. He didn't need to know the truth. Lyle gulped audibly. He could not hide the shocked fear from his face. Weiss had him.

"Blonde man? I'm afraid I don't know who you're talking about." Lyle still tried to save face, but he was failing. Sweat poured down his face. His rhetoric was fast and flustered. Most loan sharks like him were not used to negotiating when they did not have the upper hand.

Weiss used this to her advantage. She walked around the side of his desk. She placed a foot on his shoulder and gave him a push. Lyle slid sideways in his chair, stopping against the wall. Weiss pulled out one of the desk drawers and began to rummage around.

"Hey, get out of there!" Lyle tried to scoot his way back over to her. At any other time, his pathetic undulations would have been hilarious. Weiss repulsed him with a small glyph. His head rolled from the impact. He remained stunned long enough for Weiss to extract a thick blue book.

"Put that back!" Lyle ordered. Weiss completely ignored him. She flipped through the book. Just as she'd hoped, it was a collection of past accounts recorded for bookkeeping purposes. To a businessman, such a resource could be useful in future endeavors. Here, it served as his downfall.

"Well, would you look at this," Weiss feigned surprise. "Come here. Look at these rates." Weiss gestured for her partner. A somewhat puzzled Ruby obeyed, peering over her shoulder. "Ridiculous, right?"

"They sure are." Uncertain of what to do, Ruby just played along.

"Now, I'm not overly familiar with Valeish law, but I'm pretty sure there's a limit to the interest banks and companies like you can charge." Weiss dropped the open book on the desk in front of Lyle. "I'm also pretty sure you've far exceeded it. Am I right, Mr. Lyle?"

The old man did not answer her. He didn't even look in her direction. This did not please Weiss. She slammed her palm down on the book. The sudden movement and loud noise gave him a start. He jumped up in his seat with a sheepish yap.

"The lady asked you a question!" Ruby chimed in, contributing to interrogation routine. Although, she couldn't tell who was supposed to be the bad cop.

"I might have taken a few liberties here and there..." he admitted to his shoes.

"How _interesting_." Weiss gathered up the book, holding it open with both hands. "I'm sure the guards would just _love_ to get their hands on this."

"You wouldn't." Lyle tried to call her bluff. Weiss glared at him.

"Do I look like I'm kidding?" She demanded. Lyle shied away again. "So, Mr. Lyle, I'm going to give you a choice. Either you tell me what I want to know, of this information goes public, and you lose everything. So, what's it gonna be?"

They locked eyes in a vicious stalemate. Lyle sweated and squirmed under her gaze, but showed no signs of breaking. He couldn't keep eye contact with her for more than a few scattered seconds. Still, despite this fear, he refused to budge. Weiss did not have time for this. She closed the book.

"Fine. Have it your way." She began toward the door. "Have fun extorting money from behind bars."

"Wait!" Lyle stopped her. Weiss paused in front of the door. With her back still turned, she gave a sinister smile. "I'll tell you what you want to know, just put the book down."

"You'll get this back when you've been a good little boy." Weiss returned to the desk.

"The young Lord Marquee is being held in a cave north of here on the coast," Lyle began. "There's a map in the conference room. I can show you exactly where it is."

"Oh, Lyle. I already know where the little Lord is," Weiss demeaned. "My friends are taking care of that problem. No, the information I'm looking for is more substantial." She put the book on the table and kept one hand over it, taunting Lyle with his prize. "How does the White Fang make its money? Supply lines, brokers, I want everything."

"I'm afraid I don't know what you mean," Lyle said. For once, Weiss couldn't read him. She didn't know if he was lying or not.

"Come on, a connected man like yourself must have _some_ information," she reasoned. "The ransom for Lord Marquee, I'm assuming you get a small cut of it and then the White Fang collects the rest. Where does it go after that?"

"I don't know." Lyle answered quickly. Unsatisfied, Weiss collected the book and once again began for the door. She didn't even finish her first step before Lyle cut in. "I swear I don't know," he called. Weiss returned to her previous posture. "The White Fang drops off money to me from little jobs like this. Some time later—it could be days or weeks—this guy comes and collects it. I don't know where it goes after that, I swear!"

"Same guy every time?" Weiss shifted the focus of her questioning. Lyle nodded. "Who is he?"

"Tall, skinny, dresses in all black, has gray hair but he's young—" began Lyle.

"Names, Lyle!" Weiss shouted.

"I don't know his name!" Lyle insisted. Weiss straightened. "Wait! He... he had a girl with him one time. Pretty little thing. The two of them talked after a collection, must have thought I couldn't hear them. I think I remember her saying his name."

"Alright, then what is it?" Weiss insisted. She was losing her patience. Lyle looked her straight in the eye, taking her by surprise. He uttered a single word.

"Mercury."

**Notes: So, remember when I said this would probably end up as only two parts? I lied. I'm extremely hesitant to give you guys anything much longer than chapters 2 and 10, since I know how much I personally hate it when a chapter drags on. With Blake and Yang's side of things, and then the resolution of the whole assignment, this passage would've been a monster. I know you're all busy, and probably don't want to spend an hour reading an amateur work. That in mind, I decided to split this operation once again. All that really means is I now need to cut down the rest of this arc a little, which works out better in the end. Less filler is good news for everyone. **

**Also, Mercury and Emerald are in the story now. I wasn't sure whether or not to include them, but the entire narrative moving forward makes more sense with their presence. As always, reviews are welcome. **


	21. Hostile Action

Yang and Blake walked along what was a rather serene stretch of the Vale coast. Having left the city miles behind, they were instead surrounded on all sides by nature. They traversed a grassy ledge. The wet ground molded to their steps. To the east, uneven banks dipped down to a thin strip of rocky sand. Salt water crashed up against the stones with each wave. The tide would be coming in soon. To the west stretched a calm and hilly plain. Any other day, it would have been a rather pleasant walk. But there was gruesome business to attend.

In her right hand, Yang held the map Blake had taken off the blonde man. She consulted it briefly. After looking back up, a certain tree caught her attention. It was one of the only trees Yang had spotted since departing Vale. It was old and just beginning to rot, its dark branches drooping. Again, she glanced at the map. This tree was one of a few landmarks drawn out onto the parchment. It was also one of the last. They were close.

Yang looked over to her partner. Specifically, at her hands. Although Blake had taken a moment to wash off the remaining blood, Yang remembered what they had looked like before. She could still hear the screams of the blonde man as he pay witness to Blake's interrogation. Yang could not argue with the results, but a question nagged at the back of her mind.

"So, what did you do to that guy, anyway?" She asked as the two walked.

"Do you really wanna know?" Blake cautioned.

"I mean... kinda?" Yang seriously did not know how to answer that question, torn on whether or not she actually did.

"Well, then I'll spare you the details." Blake thought for a second. "Let's just say he's missing a kneecap, and won't be having children."

"Good God," Yang exclaimed. "Was that really necessary?"

"Hey, nothing loosens a man's tongue like the sight of his own blood," said Blake.

This comment took Yang so completely off-guard, she stopped moving entirely to instead stare at the back of her partner's head. It was not the sentiment itself which bothered her, but instead the frankness of its delivery. Most people would never even think something like that. Blake said it without batting an eyelash.

"That's really scary, Blake." Yang said as she caught up with the faunus.

"That's the point. It wouldn't be effective if it wasn't," said Blake. Yang simply shrugged. She couldn't argue with that logic.

After that little conversation, the two traveled on in silence. The sun was just beginning to hang low in the sky. Gone was the heat of noon, replaced by falling temperatures which signaled the approach of evening. It would soon be dusk. Yang had never seen the sun set on the Vale coast, but she heard it was a thing of legend. Hopefully they finished the mission in time to catch it.

They passed a couple more landmarks, signaling they should be close to the cave. Only one problem, it was nowhere to be found. Yang consulted the map, for what good it did. Behind them lay a rock formation which vaguely resembled a crow's foot, which meant the cave entrance should be straight ahead. However, when she peered in this direction the only thing which met her was a further expanse of grass and beach.

This was when Blake had a brilliant idea. If the cave wasn't anywhere in front of them, and couldn't possibly be up, then the only plausible direction remaining was down. To that end, the girls descended to beach level, careful to avoid the rocks. Blake, as the more agile member, had no trouble with this. Yang, on the other hand, did not fare as well. She was not clumsy by any means, and could perform quite impressive acrobatic feats, but jumping from rock to rock was not exactly her strong point. Luckily, she only slipped once on the way down.

Along down the beach the coastline took a pronounced turn to the left. What lay around this bend was obscured by the higher ground, but the coast did eventually loop back around. This formed a small gulley, by the looks of things. Blake also noted the sand strip widened considerably. She took the lead as the two girls came upon the curve.

Blake kept her head on a swivel as they reached the apex. The gulley made a perfect hiding place for kidnappers or otherwise. The moment she could see around the bend, her suspicious were confirmed. At the first glance she reacted, stepping back and then going flat against the rocks in order to remain out of sight. Yang did the same a second later.

The faunus peeked her head around the corner. Yang leaned around her. Both sides of the coast met to form a broad U-shaped inlet, at the back of which sat the mouth of a cave. One man stood outside, back-to the sea, relieving himself. It was dark within the cave. Not much past the very first few feet could be seen.

"Not very well hidden, is it?" Yang quipped in a whisper. Blake did not respond. "See anything?"

"No, it's too bright out here to see inside," Blake said lowly. "I can just barely make out another guy, though." She squinted her eyes and focused on the objective, oblivious to anything else. "I think I can take them both without being seen. If you let me get a feel for what's inside, we can make a plan. Sound good?" She asked of her partner. There was no response. "Yang?"

Blake looked behind her and wore a confused expression. Her partner was no longer there. She turned her attentions back forward, and saw a head of blonde hair charging full force toward the man outside the cave. Blake sighed and slipped around the corner. She guessed they would have to do this the hard way.

The soft sand masked Yang's approach, allowing her to creep right up on the outside man without losing any speed. He refastened the button fly on the front of his pants. A second later, Yang was on him. She placed a hand on the back of his head and kept running, sweeping him off his feet. He called out in surprise. There wasn't any time for him to fight back. Yang drove his head into the rock, knocking him out instantly.

Yang transitioned to the only other visible combatant, the man just inside the cave. She burst into the space. The sand gave way to a solid stone platform, adding volume to her steps. The man turned at the last possible moment. A gauntleted fist collided with his face. A semblance blast added force to the impact. He flew through the air off the platform and landed in the water.

"SURPRISE, MOTHER_FUCKERS_!" Yang yelled into the cave. Her voice reverberated off the walls.

This cave was mostly water. Other than the initial stone platform, the only bit of solid ground was a little outcropping about halfway between the entrance and the back wall on the east side. Instead, wooden platforms snaked off to the left and right. They converged twice up ahead—once in the middle and once at the end—to form broad intersections, but by and large they remained separate. Each path widened at sections to allow for the storage of cargo or a rest area for the men. It was a rather impressive feat. A perfect den for smugglers.

Yang's rather loud and flashy entrance alerted the guards. The five closest ran at her, arming swords held high, converging from both sides. They were clearly White Fang, but a different breed than she had previously encountered. They looked like normal sailors except for the masks. They probably belonged to a naval branch. It made sense for the White Fang to have a navy. Any large organization needs ships, criminal or otherwise.

The two on the right reached her first. The one out in front attempted an overhead swing. Yang grabbed his blade in an inverted grip and pulled it off to one side. In the same motion she gave the second man a high front kick before he could get too close. With her free hand and while still holding his blade, Yang leveled a punch into the first man's face. He bent down. The blonde clasped her hands together and came up for a vicious attack, combining her semblance into the strike to send him into the water.

The second man came again, this time going for a wide, upward swing. Yang kicked his wrist back long before it gained any sort of velocity. She gave him a right-left combo to the face and then a blast punch to the stomach. While the man bent double in pain, Yang hit him hard with an overhand strike to the back of his head, again assisted by her semblance. He went crashing to the ground so hard he bounced back up a few inches.

The three guards coming from Yang's left closed in, but at this time Blake entered the fray. She shot the first one through the knee with her pistol crossbow. Yang finished him off with a quick cross. The other two adjusted to the new threat. Both turned to engage Blake. The faunus drew her katana and returned the favor.

They attacked at almost the same time. Blake sent an afterimage left in order to distract the guard on that side. He took the bait, chasing after it. This gave Blake freedom to block the downward hack from the rightmost foe. She directed his strike off to the right and stepped in, punching him hard in the face. While he was stunned, Yang finished him off. She heaved the man into a great vertical suplex. She popped up off of him and spun into a head punch to knock out the winded fellow.

The remaining attacker realized all too late the target he chased down was merely a whisper. He sliced down and right through the afterimage. As it vanished, Blake was upon him. He twirled around and desperately put his sword up. Seeing this, Blake changed her vector at the last minute and cut upward. She was very careful to get just below his ribs, a place which would cause immense pain but not damage any organs.

He cried out in agony. Blake palmed his head and pushed him backward into the wall. He slid down along the rock, trailing blood as he went. Although the wound would not outright kill him, he would likely bleed out. Ruby's orders were to only _try_ and not kill anyone. Blake tried.

"Take the left side!" Yang called. She immediately coordinated with her own instruction, taking off down the right platform. Blake did as she was told a moment later.

Yang blazed down the wooden path. Three men charged up it to try and oppose her. Fighting on such a narrow field meant they were limited to engaging one at a time. Not that numbers would really help them anyway. Without losing any momentum Yang jumped up into the air. She kicked the soldier in front right in the chest. He flew off his feet and collided with the man behind him, who stumbled back and knocked into the last guy in line.

All three were stunned. Yang punched the first in the face. He went tumbling over the side and into the drink. She transitioned to the second and did the same, achieving a similar result. The third and final White Fang was just beginning to recover. Yang grabbed his head and slammed it into her knee. She then tossed him over the side.

The blonde proceeded to the only other bit of actual land, the outcropping. Here four men hunkered down around the campfire, two in front ant two behind. They probably thought it would provide them some sort of advantage. They were wrong.

Yang charged straight at them. The moment she was in range the two soldiers in front tried to slice down at her. She grabbed both their blades, dedicating a hand to each. While they fought to wrest their weapons, she kicked the fire. Hot embers and burning wood assaulted the back left man. He cried out in pain and surprise as the flames marred his skin.

The men Yang trapped looked back to check on their companion. She used this distraction to wrench their weapons from their hands. She turned the blades point-down and whapped them each across the face with blunt ends of their own swords. They went down for the count.

The fourth man was afraid. He raised his sword in shaking hands. For some inexplicable reason, Yang took pity on the poor chap. She raised her gauntlet and issued forth a blast. The resulting kinetic impact knocked the man out instantly, no pain, no scars. Just a bad headache when he awoke.

The next major landmark was the first bridge between the two sides. Four men stood at the opening, clearly looking to block Yang from taking it as a path. Their plan completely revolved around her using the wooden walkway to proceed. So, she decided not to.

Instead, the blonde backtracked a few feet. She placed herself on the previous walkway, standing at an angle as perpendicular to the central bridge as possible. She got up on the railing, perching like a bird on the precarious ledge side. She pointed her gauntlets down behind her at the floorboards. After a brief moment to study the distance and elevation, she directed a double blast into the wood.

Yang shot forward, straight and fast like an arrow. The scenery whipped past. The air stung her eyes. The blonde landed hard on the bridge platform, bending her knees to absorb the impact. The men turned to her with flabbergasted expressions. _That_ was most certainly the last thing they ever expected. Yang looked up and gave them an evil smirk.

This was the catalyst which ignited their attack, for what little good it did. They charged not together, as unorganized men tend to do. The one furthest to Yang's right was the first to reach her. She made quick work of him, knocking him over the side with a crescent kick.

The next to approach came from furthest to her left. Yang ducked underneath his horizontal swing. From this low position she hit him hard in the stomach with a left jab. He bent over and Yang came up with a right uppercut and blast. He flew backward a few feet and landed hard on his spine.

The remaining two charged from the middle. They were mostly together. Yang stepped to avoid a vertical swing from the right man. She grabbed his wrist and shoulder, heaving him over the rail with a spinning throw. Coming out of her twirl, she smashed a right backfist into the final soldier. She quickly comboed into a left hook and blast. He smacked into the rail, forcing all the air from his lungs. Yang flipped him from the going into the drink.

She took a second to observe the progress of her partner. Blake had not quite reached the bridge, but was close. The faunus fought off a few soldiers. They didn't stand a chance. Yang almost felt bad for them. But she pushed this sentiment from her mind and continued on.

Blake had to deal with most of the open areas. For Yang, it was all narrow paths until the reached the final area in the back. By this point, the White Fang had smartened up. They knew trying to fight Yang in a more confined space was suicide. So, they gathered at the entrance to the last large platform. A valid strategy, but they obviously hadn't been paying attention. That tactic didn't exactly work out for their allies on the bridge. They did have a numbers advantage, though. At six strong, it was the greatest amount of men Yang had faced down yet. This would be fun.

Yang ran full force at them. This gave them pause momentarily. Surely she didn't hope to crash through them. That's ludicrous, right? They raised their swords nervously. But, they were right. Yang had no intention of barreling into them, although that was an option. When just inches away, she shot another blast at the ground. Yang launched the air, easily sailing over the soldiers' heads. They looked up in awe as a woman took flight over them.

The blonde came down a few feet away, behind their lines. They adjusted, hesitating before the charge. Yang shot a blast at their feet, directly in the middle of the formation. They scattered. Although this attack didn't score any knockouts, it did achieve two things; it broke them up and sewed chaos in the ranks.

Yang initiated her assault. She sprinted forward and jumped the last few feet extending her arms out in front. Her fists collided with the two men who stood apart from the others. A semblance blast pushed them back into the men behind.

With two soldiers temporarily out of commission, and another two out of the picture for good, Yang transitioned to the remaining threats. They attacked her from either side. Yang simply held up her fists and fired. The one to her right went flying into the water. The other took the attack much better, and only stumbled back. Yang rounded on him, firing two more shots into his chest. This was enough to put him on the ground.

The pair of men who got forcefully body checked recovered. They attacked Yang simultaneously, their best chance of success. Their best was not good enough. Yang grabbed their swords and threw them away in the same motion. She knocked one out with a quick triple combo. The other tried to run. Yang gave him a blast to the ankles. He fell forward, hitting his head on the wood. Even if he wasn't knocked out, the impact would make him think twice about getting back up.

There were still at least two other people on the platform. Yang could hear them scuffling around while she dealt with the primary threat. She turned around, fists raised, ready to engage, but stopped short. Her breath caught.

Only a single soldier remained. Out of all the White Fang present, he looked most like a soldier with a scraggly black beard and huge arms. He held captive a young man with sandy brown hair, dressed in fine silks and velvet. He matched the description of the kidnapped Lord Marquee. The sailor man placed a knife against the Lord's throat.

"Don't come any closer!" Yelled the sailor. "I'll slit his throat, I swear to God."

"You don't have to do this," Yang reasoned. "We just want Lord Marquee. Let him go and you can walk out of here."

"Bullshit!" The sailor accused. "I know how this works. The moment I drop my knife, you'll take me out." He tightened his grip. "But, if I kill the little shit, at least I'll keep you from having him. Kid isn't worth the trouble anyway." Yang's heart dropped. She reached out her hand to stop him.

The sharp twang of a bowstring. A short bolt from out of nowhere embedded itself in the sailor's cranium, blasting through the bone in his forehead. All strength left his body at once. He fell back, dropping Lord Marquee to his knees. Yang's head whipped around, searching for the source of the attack. Blake stood on the other side of the platform, hand raised, empty crossbow pointed where the sailor had once been. She holstered her weapon and began toward the objective.

"What the hell, Blake?" Yang called. "Ruby said not to kill anyone."

"Ruby isn't here." She said curtly. Blake approached the young lord. He supported himself on all fours. His elbows trembled. He was quite shaken. Blake extended a helping hand to him. "Lord Marquee? My name is Blake Belladonna, we're here to help you."

"Don't _touch_ me!" Lord Marquee swatted her hand away. "What were you thinking? You could have killed me!"

"Excuse me?" Blake raised an eyebrow. She couldn't believe her ears! Marquee got to his feet. He dusted off his trousers.

"But, I guess I should thank you," he said. "Do you know who was behind this?"

"The White Fang," answered Yang, stepping into the group. "Their an extremist faunus organization who—"

"I know who they are!" Marquee cut her off. "Typical," he scoffed. "Scoundrels, all of them and their kind. My father, Lord Robert Marquee, will hear about this." A bold statement. Blake's ears popped up at the sound of this name. Her head whipped over to the Lord.

"Wait, _Robert_ Marquee is your father?" She said, taking a determined step toward him.

"That's right." The Lord puffed out his chest pridefully.

"Married to an Emma Marquee?" Blake continued her interrogation.

"Yes, yes. You're grasp of common knowledge is quiet impressive." Marquee mocked.

"I knew it!" Blake threw her hands down. She pointed at Marquee. "I _knew_ I'd heard your name before!"

"What?" Yang interjected. "What's going on? Who is he?"

"Robert Marquee is one of the most outspoken opponents of faunus rights in all of Vale! He'd make second-class citizens of all of us." Explained Blake. Angered passion spiked in her tone. Yang gave Marquee a judgmental look.

"That's terrible," she said right to him.

"Don't you get it, Yang?" Blake questioned. "It all makes sense, now; why the White Fang took him. They wanted to make an example." She turned menacingly to Marquee. "And I can't say as I blame them."

Blake took him by the shirt Marquee looked upon her with pure fear. He'd just seen the feats of combat she was capable of. He didn't even stand a chance of getting away. Faced with the threat of pain or worse, all he could do was lash out verbally.

"Unhand me, you filthy beast!" Marquee demanded in a fit of courage. This just angered Bake further. She drew back her fist.

"Blake, no!" Yang quickly grabbed her partner's wrists. "You can't kill him! If you strike him down, you're no better than the White Fang!"

Blake let out a deep breath. Her muscles relaxed. She dropped Lord Marquee, who once again fell to his knees.

"You're right," she said. "That's not who I am." She spoke to Marquee. "I'm sorry, I don't know what came over me."

Yang released her. She dropper her hands and turned away, walking toward the cave exit.

"Wait, where are you going?" Yang called after her. Blake stopped and craned her neck around.

"I won't hurt him, but I can't be a part of his escort, either. I'm sorry, Yang." Blake looked back forward and kept on her way. Yang made no further attempts to stop her.

"Good riddance." He said.

As he did, Yang removed her right gauntlet. She reached down with the bare hand to help Marquee to his feet. He went to grab her hand, but at the last minute Yang backhanded him hard across the face. He went back down hard, just barely catching himself. Marquee held the red spot on his face, skin already inflamed by the force of Yang's slap.

"What was that for?" Marquee gave her a revolted, terrified look. The nerve!

"Insult my partner again, and the gauntlet stays on." Yang threatened him in no uncertain terms, re-armoring her hand for emphasis. Lord Marquee gave an audible gulp.

The two of them traveled in complete silence all the way back to Vale. There, Marquee was escorted to his family estates to unite once again with his family. Yang did not stay for the reunion. She had more important things to worry about.

She found the rest of her team, including Blake, back at the plantation. For all missions, this was to be their designated meeting area. They wasted no time in leaving back through the tunnel to Beacon. All of them had had their fill of the city for one day. Yang kept her mouth shut about what happened in the cave. The others didn't need to know. She never _did _get to see that sunset.

**Notes:** **I'm not a big fan of this chapter. It displayed some necessary character growth for Blake, but I think the premise was a bit clunky. I brainstormed for quite a while about how to handle this section, which is why it is a bit later than usual. I still think I could have executed it better. But, perhaps I'm being a bit too hard on myself. I'd love to know what you all think. **


	22. Further Developments

A short trip through the tunnel saw the members of team RWBY back at the Beacon once again. Unlike the journey into Vale, which was filled—at least part of the way—with excitement over their first real job, the mood this time around was rather somber. It had been a job well done, but something about success soured their moods.

Ruby couldn't quite put her finger on it. All in all they did a good job, so why the attitude? It's true they'd run out of things to talk about rather quickly, but that also happened when going to the city and all it really did was bore them.

In searching for a source, Ruby landed on Blake. The faunus girl seemed to glow with negative energy, as if she were having a constant bad day. Trying to talk with her yielded no results. She'd simply deflect the question and change the subject, or ignore it entirely. Her partner wasn't much help, either. Ruby was quite annoyed her dear sister had the audacity to keep a secret from her.

But, in the end that wasn't really what mattered. Something bothered Blake, and as team leader it was Ruby's job to figure out exactly what. She decided the best thing to do would be to corner her away from everyone else, take away her support system and force a conversation. Ruby knew this may backfire. Blake may lash out, but since she probably wouldn't offer up any information on her own, Ruby saw very few other options.

The city of Beacon was the same as ever. People walked the streets, engaged in their own personal affairs, illuminated by that strange white mineral no one can seems to know anything about. As they passed his shop, the girls noticed Peter Port toiling away at whatever new project his block of steel would end up as. How Ruby yearned to get back to the forge, to create something deadly and practical with her hands. Bending the world itself to one's will; that was a true art form.

Up ahead along the main street, Ruby saw something which instantly brightened her mood. A ginger head of hair bounded along without a care to be had.

"Nora!" Ruby called. The young woman turned at the sound of her name. She beamed at the girls, a smile which could turn even the sourest of hearts.

"Hey guys!" Nora called with a wave as she approached. "I feel like I haven't seen you in _forever_!" She was enthusiastic as ever. Her very presence lightened everyone's hearts. Such boundless positivity was a rare necessity in such a line of work as the Beacon provided. Not a soul alive disliked Nora.

"We've been busy," Yang said as the parties converged.

"I heard," acknowledged Nora. "How'd the mission go?" At her question, the members of team RWBY tensed up. Each one changed her body language from tired to nervous. "That bad, huh?"

"No," corrected Ruby. "The mission was a success, "it was just harder than we thought it would be."

"Everyone's first mission is like that," Nora tried to encourage them. "Don't worry, you'll get the hang of it pretty soon." There was a pause, long enough for Weiss to detect a hint of hesitation in everyone, including herself. She decided to step in before things could get worse.

"It isn't often I see you alone, Nora." The heiress changed the subject. "Where's the rest of your team?"

"Oh!" Nora perked up. "Jaune and Pyrrha are training, and I don't know where Ren got off to."

"That's weird," Yang said. "You two are always together."

"But not _together_ together," Nora corrected. Yang and Weiss both rolled their eyes. "Ren manages to slip away from me every now and then, but he knows he can't hide for long." The sinister smile Nora gave was just a little bit unsettling. Weiss could feel the conversation drawing to a close.

"Well, we'd better get going," she said politely. "Wouldn't want to keep Goodwitch waiting."

"Yeah, that's probably a bad idea," agreed Nora.

"It was nice seeing you," Ruby said with a wave as she lead her team away.

"You too!" Nora waved back. As her friends departed, Nora realized she had been heading in the same direction before stopping for that little chat. As following behind them but not talking would be awkward, she instead elected to browse a nearby shop until they were gone.

Feeling reinvigorated, team RWBY continued on their way. Although Nora's demeanor did wonders for unit moral, it could not curb their dread at confronting Glynda Goodwitch. There was just something _about_ that woman. She had a certain scrutinizing scowl permanently painted on her face. It felt as though she were constantly disappointed with everything everyone else did.

Walking into the castle, Ruby couldn't help but give it one good all-encompassing gaze. The Beacon still didn't impress her like it did when she first saw it, but the craftsman in her could still marvel at the workmanship and sheer numbers required to construct such a vast space underneath a mountain.

The procedure was a little different this time around. Instead of simply meeting Glynda in the throne room like they had on every previous occasion, Ruby instead sent one of the soldiers to inform her of their arrival in the city. Glynda had no way of knowing when they would arrive, and had other business to tend in the meantime. The members of team RWBY were to wait in their room until Glynda arrived to receive their report.

And thus began what was actual the source of the girls' reluctance. The waiting. Seriously, it seemed most of the time they spent in the Beacon was waiting. Being cooped up in their room didn't help, either. They still didn't have anything to talk about. In the small quarters, there wasn't even the distraction of walking to tide them.

Predictably, Weiss was the most visibly agitated by this. For quite a while she sat on the edge of her bed, arms crossed, occasionally huffing. She eventually resigned herself to unnecessarily maintenancing Myrtenaster. Ruby and Blake both read books, although the former assumed the subject matter of their respective tomes was vastly different. Blake seemed more inclined toward drama than the comedy Ruby enjoyed. Yang perhaps had the best idea of all. She kicked off her boots and fell forward onto her bed for a peaceful nap.

And this was how they occupied themselves. It was boring and monotonous, but necessary. Ruby reminded herself to invest in a clock for the room. An unknown amount of time passed before a knock came at the door. The three conscious girls perked up at the sound. Each looked at the door expectantly.

"Girls?" Came Glynda's voice through the wood. "I'm here for your report."

"The door's open" Ruby chimed back. "Come right in."

Through all this yelling, Yang did not stir. Blake took it upon herself to try and wake the blonde. She got up and went over to her partner.

"Yang?" She said lowly, giving the girl's shoulders a shake. "Yang, wake up. Glynda's here." At the same time, Goodwitch strode through the door, carrying a large writing board complete with a corked up inkwell. She took in the scene with a raised eyebrow.

Ruby rolled her eyes. Blake's efforts were valiant, but utterly useless. It took much more than that to wake up her sister. To that end, Ruby tossed her book at Yang. The binding hit the blonde square in the lower back with an audible _thud_. She sprang a few inches off the bed and flopped back down, instantly awake. She took a moment to observe her surroundings with a wide, shocked expression. Detecting a strangely unimpressed presence, Yang rolled onto her back and sat up. She instantly locked eyes with Glynda.

"Oh, hey there." Yang tried to recover. "Long time, no see?" She scratched the back of her head awkwardly. Glynda just sighed. She pushed up her glasses and pressed through the ridiculous moment.

"The man who informed me of your arrival said you didn't seem in very high spirits," Glynda began. "Does that mean the mission was a failure?"

"No, ma'am," Ruby said. "We got the information we need, and Blake and Yang saved Lord Marquee, it just didn't go as we'd planned."

"How so?" Pressed Goodwitch.

"It was a trap," Blake said. "The White Fang members who met us tried to take us prisoner."

"They wanted to ransom us off along with Marquee." Yang added.

"Well, clearly that didn't happen," Glynda observed. "So, what's the problem?" Blake shied away at her words. She was not ashamed of her actions, but feared for how the authoritative older woman would handle her admission.

"They weren't very forthcoming with the information." Yang stepped in to try and save her partner. "We had to... _convince_ them."

"You mean torture." Glynda said frankly. The girls did not respond, and that was all the answer she needed. "I specifically told you to use any means necessary. Never forget that we are at war, girls, against all the evil forces of the world. In war, sometimes atrocities are unavoidable." Seeing her words did nothing to comfort the girls—and indeed had the opposite effect—Glynda changed her tone. "If you want to talk, I can try to make time in my schedule." That would have to do for now. They could return to this topic at a later date, if necessary.

"You mentioned something about information?" Glynda shifted focus.

"Yeah, one of the guys told us who was in charge of the operation," Ruby answered. "Weiss and I went to talk to him."

"And?" Encouraged Glynda.

"His name is Lyle," Weiss said. "He's a loan shark. He was pretty eager to talk after I threatened him with bankruptcy."

"What did he tell you?"

"Not very much, I'm afraid." Weiss looked away briefly. "He helps the White Fang conduct criminal operations in Vale. He holds on to any money made and then a man named Mercury comes to collect. He doesn't know where it goes from there."

Glynda took a minute to ponder all of the information she'd just been given. She wrote a few things down on her board, quill bobbing in time with her marks. She inspected the data, scrutinizing it with a critical glare. The girls awaited her next directive with bated breath. This was all they had on their first mission. None of them wanted to receive any sort of tongue lashing.

"This is all very good," Glynda said finally. All at once, the tension left the room. "I think we can use this Lyle fellow."

"What do you mean?" Inquired Yang.

"He said his contact comes to see him after every new job. I say we let him, stakeout the area until he shows up and then take him prisoner."

"But there's no money to collect," Weiss pointed out.

"He doesn't know that," countered Glynda. "And even if he did, I'm sure he'd want to know why from the man himself, not a letter from some courier. If this Mercury knows anything about the White Fang supply lines and income, then we need to find him. Using Lyle as bait is the best option."

"I like it," Yang intoned. "A little good old fashioned police work." Glynda only gave her a quick glance for acknowledgment.

"Are there any objections?" The older woman let the question linger for a second. She looked around the room in search argument but found none. "Then your next assignment is to observe Mr. Lyle and take his contact Mercury prisoner. Understood?"

"You can count on us, ma'am." Ruby said with an enthusiastic pump of her fist.

…

Roman Torchwick walked through the White Fang storage warehouse and research facility, one of many secret hideouts used by the organization. As always he wore an expression which was equal parts cocky and impatient, but there was something else as well. It lay in the way he walked, the surly chip on his shoulder. He was annoyed, inconvenienced by something.

The storage area on the ground floor of the warehouse looked pretty much the same as it had the last time Roman visited. Boxes of every shape and size were stacked all the way to the ceiling. Shafts of light streamed in from the dirty windows placed just below the vaulted ceiling boundary. It still had little rhyme or reason, though. The loot was not sorted in any way, and instead all sorts of objects mixed in with one another.

There were also very few people in this section. Indeed, Roman saw no one as he made his way through the facility. He liked it better this way. People only slowed him down. This was not a good day for distractions.

Roman reached the back of the storage area floor. Here he took the long and narrow stairs deep down into the ground. It was dark. Someone had forgotten to light the torches. A less sure-footed man would have a difficult time descending the depths. For a seasoned and elegant warrior like Roman, however, it was a piece of cake.

The stairs let out into the even more secret and protected research section of the outpost. In all reality, it wasn't all that well hidden. The stairs weren't exactly hard to find. Although, if the site were compromised, it wouldn't be too much of a loss. The research was thoroughly backed up and there were other locations all around the kingdom of Vale. The loss of a single outpost meant almost nothing.

This part of the warehouse also remained much the same as Roman remembered. It was rife with activity. Stereotypically dressed scientists whipped about working with gizmos and baubles which made little sense to Roman. It all looked very smart and a bit disorganized. He'd heard good science was supposed to be chaos. This was certainly chaos.

But the workers here were different. Something had them riled up. Roman wondered what it was. As he entered the large open room, his suspicion only grew. Waiting for him not far from the stairs was the head scientist Antoly. He had a smile on his face.

"Ah, there you are," Antoly said as Roman approached.

"I was about to say the same thing," Roman countered. "You've never waited for me before. I usually have to go out of my way to find you."

"Well, this is important," Antoly said. "I know you made a special trip and I don't want to waste your time."

"You'd better not," warned Roman. "I don't have much time as it is."

"Yes," Antoly agreed. "If you're in that much of a hurry, I suppose I should just show you what I wanted you to see."

"You do that." Roman rolled his eyes. Antoly turned and began to walk toward the very back of the research floor. Torchwick fell in behind the older man, allowing himself to be led.

The two men traveled all the way to the very back of the research floor. There they climbed down yet another set of stairs, leading them further into the dark degrees of the planet. All this walking only further agitated Roman. Would some sort of dumbwaiter system _really_ be so difficult? He'd rather pull on a rope than walk down stairs any day.

Eventually the flight let out onto what had come to be called the specimen control center. Unlike with the research room, the depth here was not due to concealment. Instead, it was necessary. Massive cages stretched from floor to ceiling. Although dimly lit, it was obvious almost all were empty.

As the men walked they passed many a vacant cell. Occasionally one would be occupied by the festering corpses of various creatures. Thanks to the size of the space, it only really smelled around the bodies. For this, Roman was thankful.

The presence of such death did not phase Torchwick. He'd grown accustomed to the nature of Antoly's work, even though he'd only known the man for a short while. Besides, death was a rather natural part of his work. No, Roman was not truly taken aback until he passed one of the final cages, for the beast inside was very much alive.

For what was perhaps the fifth time in his entire life, Roman had absolutely no idea how to react. No snide remarks, no sarcastic tip of his hat, nothing. All he could do was stare in complete shock and awe at the sight he beheld.

The beast stood off to the left side of its cage, a few inches away from the wall. It assumed a square stance and nearly shook with rage, ready to charge at the slightest opportunity. The thing could be described as vaguely elephantine in appearance, but this was mostly because of the wickedly curved tusks. They were jagged and uneven, twisting in random directions. In certain spots the ivory cracked, revealing the bone and marrow beneath.

Instead of a trunk, this animal had a wide toothy grin between its tusks. The thing's body was broad, strong, and stocky. Overall, it was about the size of a grizzly bear. Coarse, spiky black fur sprang up in splotches along its back and underside. Between the fur was leathery hide mottled grey and black in an inconsistent pattern. Its left forelimb was grossly disproportionate, the same length as all the rest but bulbous and riddled with tumors.

Its face followed the same markings and patterns as the rest of it, but with one major difference. The left eye was the two glowing red slits indicative of Grimm. Skin and hair ripped away to reveal the solid skull around the eye. Veins pumping red blood snaked their way across the bone.

"What is... I don't—" Roman stammered. "Antoly, what the hell _is_ this?"

"This, my friend," Antoly stood straight as he could, "is the result of nearly a decade of work." He smiled. "The first ever successful splicing of animal DNA with Grimm essence." Roman gave him a shocked expression, then looked back at the beast.

"But... how?" He breathed.

"Remember that new idea I told you about last time you were here?" Antoly asked. Roman nodded slowly. "It was Beowolf essence. All this time I've been too concerned with creating a pure chimera, made from just two elements. I was afraid of the negative effects of introducing a third component, I never stopped to consider the benefits. I'm sure you know how quickly Beowolves heal. It was this restorative property which gave the creature stability."

Although long winded, Antoly's explanation gave Torchwick all the information he needed. This was what they'd been working toward, what all of the money and hiding contributed to. But, now that he was faced with it, Roman didn't really know what to say or do. He never thought he would actually see this day. Everyone told Antoly his dream was impossible. Roman believed them. He was only in this for the gold. But, they were wrong. This creature's breath proved them wrong.

"So, you created life." Roman observed.

"No," corrected Antoly. "I simply took existing life and expanded upon it. What you're looking at is evolution, not conception."

"Right..." Roman trailed off. "Let's get to the real question here. Is it combat ready?"

"No, unfortunately." Antoly wore a slightly troubled expression. "The inclusion of Beowolf essence has severely limited its intelligence. It's about as smart as a castrated bull."

"That's not good enough, Antoly." Roman said. Bulls were dumb in the first place, but even more so after they became inert. He needed something a bit more capable.

"I know. I'm working on it," Antoly nodded. "We're prepared to move on the more... _complicated _organisms. I already have a few specimens lined up."

"You never fail to impress me," Roman said. "Is this all you have to show me? I hate to cut out so quickly, but as you said I'm a busy man. I have places to go and—"

"Leaving so soon, Roman?" An extremely familiar and sultry female voice cut him off. He slowly craned his neck around to its source. He was in a room with a grotesque, mutated monster, but nothing filled him with more dread than what he saw approaching from down the hall.

She was a drop dead _gorgeous_ woman, tall and fit with a prefect hourglass figure. Thick raven hair curtained her flawless face. Fierce amber eyes shone as if a fire burned within them. She wore an elegant and formfitting red dress, the kind meant to be both practical and stunning. Every other step revealed just enough of her right leg to draw attention. Black high heels completed her ensemble.

"Who invited _her_?" Roman rounded on Antoly, who recoiled a few inches at his anger.

"Don't talk about me like I'm not here." The woman warned, stopping a few feet away from the men.

Antoly scrambled to explain. "The Lady Cinder requested I also inform her of any progress I made. I didn't expect you to arrive at the same time." He shot apologetic glances between Roman and the woman, Cinder.

"It is quite alright, Antoly." Cinder took a few steps forward. "And what did I tell you about such formality? I'm only a lady when the courts require it." She had a haughty way of speaking, as if she were trying to seduce everyone and everything in the room, even the walls. Antoly went beet red and looked away from her.

Satisfied the older man fully understood her, Cinder instead took to the mutated creature. She approached the bars, standing mere inches away. Her expression was a mixture of amazement, elation, and confusion. She reached out a hand toward the metal bars.

"I wouldn't do that!" Antoly called. He moved to halt her but it was too late.

Cinder placed her hand lightly on the bars. The creature did not react with aggression. Indeed, it seemed slightly afraid. Where before it had seemed ready to strike at any moment, it now shied away. The thing bowed its head and took a frightened step back. Antoly and Roman both gave stunned reactions.

"It's wonderful, Antoly. You've outdone yourself." Cinder's voice took on a slight air of wonder.

"Thank you, Miss." Antoly said with a slight bow.

"Yes, yes," an impatient Roman interjected. "We're all very impressed. Now, if you don't mind, I really _am_ leaving. I have a lot to do today."

"Suit yourself," Cinder said. Roman took this as his qeue to leave. He began to walk away. "But, Roman," her words stopped him. He turned to find her looking him right in the eyes. "Don't go too far. We will need to talk soon."

Roman tipped his hat. "I live to please." He snarled before turning his back. This time he really did leave.

As Roman faded down the hall, Cinder refocused her attention back on the creature. It drew further back at her renewed attention. All she could do was smile, an unsettling curl of her lips. This was perfect. It was all she ever wanted, the beginning of a great many things. The ball had been set in motion. Not a single force in the world could stop her.

**Notes: I do sincerely apologize for the inordinately long gap in updates. I'm adjusting to a new schedule at work, longer hours at a strange time. It has my writing habits thrown completely out of whack. I'm starting to get back into a decent rhythm, though. I don't think the next chapter will be quite as long going up. I hope I did a good enough job describing the creature, here. I want to thoroughly express just how wrong the experiments Antoly runs are. **


	23. Moving In

"This SUUUUKS!" Yang shouted, her voice reverberating off the stone walls. She and the rest of her team traveled astride horses through the secret tunnel leading from the Beacon to Vale.

"What are you complaining about _now_?" Weiss asked with a twinge of annoyance.

"What am I complaining about?" Yang repeated incredulously. "Look around, Weiss. Where are we?"

Weiss looked around confusedly. "The tunnel?"

"The tunnel," confirmed Yang. "We're already on our next mission. We were only at the Beacon for all of ten minutes!"

"I think it was closer to an hour and a half, actually," corrected Blake.

"Well, it certainly _felt_ like ten minutes." Yang stuck to her guns.

"That's because you slept to through the whole thing!" Weiss accused, just beginning to lose her patience. The blonde crossed her arms.

"Hey, I can't help it if I'm the smart one." She said.

Weiss gave an offended _hmph! _and turned her head away. Everyone knew _she _was the smart one. To imply any different was the height of idiocy. At this entire exchange, Ruby just rolled her eyes. She wasn't exactly happy about traveling so soon, either. They needed to rest. They _deserved_ rest. But, they had a duty to the kingdom to stop the White Fang at all costs. IF that meant pushing through a little exhaustion, she knew her teammates were more than willing. However, that didn't mean they had to like it.

"What's wrong, Snow Angel? Did I rub you the wrong way?" Yang teased.

"Hardly?" Weiss still refused to make eye contact.

"Then does that mean you wouldn't mind a little _rubbing?_" Yang flashed a suggestive grin.And thus began another one of their famous arguments.

Having left the Beacon so quickly, a few items of inquiry remained unattended. This bickering between the blonde and the ice queen, however, presented an opportunity. Ruby fell back and joined in with Blake, who had been watching with mild amusement. She still gave off a solemn air. As team leader, Ruby made it her mission to get to the bottom of it.

"Hey, Blake," she greeteed.

"Hello, Ruby," returned the faunus. Ruby could tell she wouldn't be able to ease into this sort of conversation. Better to be out with it, then.

"Has something been bothering you?" She said after a sigh. "Ever since the mission finished, you've been more quiet than usual, which is saying something." Ruby hoped keeping the mood light would help entice Blake to speak.

"No, I'm fine." Blake said, keeping perfect eye-contact. She was good at lying, but Ruby had spent all her life with perhaps the best liar in the world. She knew how to detect a fib.

"Blake..." she trailed off with a knowing tilt of her head. The faunus was smart enough to know when the jig was up.

"Well, there is _something_ on my mind." Blake was obviously quite hesitant to admit this, which only furthered Ruby's concern.

"We're your friends, Blake. You can tell us anything." She laid a reassuring hand atop Blake's.

"I don't know..." the raven-haired young woman trailed off. "It's... sorta about you." She said with a pained expression Ruby removed her hand and perked up.

"Okay, now you can't _not_ tell me," she demanded.

"I know." Blake sighed. "During the last mission, you told us twice to try and not kill anyone. Why?"

"Because I don't think they need to die," Ruby answered quickly. "I don't like the idea of killing, and I don't want to hurt anyone. I think we should avoid it whenever possible."

"But, they're our enemies," Blake argued. "Surely it makes sense to thin their numbers."

Ruby looked ahead, gaining an introspective look. "The way I see it, a criminal is just someone society hasn't raised right. Just because life dealt them a bad hand, doesn't mean they deserve to die because of it." She looked Blake square in the face. "No one is beyond saving."

Ruby let her words hang in the air for a moment. What she said resonated deep within Blake. While she didn't believe in such noble mercy for her enemies, that last statement hit her hard. _No one is beyond saving_. In many ways, she was the very embodiment of that. But Ruby had no way of knowing. Blake's past was not something she felt comfortable sharing with anyone. Only one person knew of her life before becoming the Shadow, and the White Fang had taken him away.

"Are you gonna be alright?" Ruby snapped Blake out of her dreamland. She gave her leader as genuine a smile as she could manage.

"Yeah, I will." She said.

"Think about what I said?" Ruby asked.

"Yeah." Blake gave a little nod. Ruby returned her smile. That was the best outcome she could hope for. Their little talk went much better than she thought. Ruby knew she could never truly change Blake—and she didn't want to in the first place—but perhaps she could give the faunus something to think about.

…

Vale. _Again. _No one was particularly thrilled about returning to the city so soon, although some were more vocal than others. The entire first day every word which came from Yang's mouth was in some way a complaint. At first Weiss tried to counter her with pointed statements about duty and grace, but eventually she gave up. When Yang saw her efforts gained no further attention, she also dropped the topic entirely.

Ruby and Blake hid their discontent, but it was certainly there. Impatience caused Ruby to set an unusually quick pace for the horses. Her back and rear end had not enjoyed ample time to recover from the long hours of riding. As such, the few times they stopped to rest the horses her entire body seized up with cramping pain. She was far too young to ache like this. From the way her teammates moved, they also experienced similar suffering.

The only one seemingly unaffected was Blake. No, her misery was altogether different. She messed with her bow almost constantly. As happened with most large underground spaces, a mysterious and coarse wind occasionally blew through the tunnel. It didn't bother the humans of the group, and Blake was also normally unaffected. There were plenty of structures in the Beacon for her to shelter in. Being out in the open without reprieve for so long had taken a toll.

Ruby felt incomparably bad for her friend. The faunus had to deal with a problem she couldn't even imagine. When for the millionth time Blake adjusted her bow, Ruby decided she'd finally had enough. She rode up beside the girl, removed her cape, and placed it upon Blake's shoulders, flipping up the hood.

The faunus was momentarily surprised. She hadn't even noticed Ruby come over, and the sudden presence of something on her head took her off guard. Blake realized what it was almost immediately, though. She turned and gave her leader a thankful smile. Ruby's own was filled with both relief and concern. She didn't want her friend to hurt anymore.

Yang watched all of this go down with a mixture of pride and sheer awe. _Never_ in her fifteen years had Ruby willingly allowed anyone else to wear her cape. Ruby, who always had so much trouble opening up, who had a heart of gold but was always too shy to use it. She was finally coming out of her shell. Yang, as a protective older sister, could not be any prouder.

The sun had just began to set on the second day when the girls finally made it to the gates of Vale city. Weiss paid to have the horses stabled outside the walls. The inn they would be staying at did not even have a hitch for the horses and none of them had the patience to find a nearby stable. So, they settled for walking the rest of the way.

Vale was the same as it had ever been. More or less the same amount of people as the girls had seen during the day walked about the streets, but there was something different about them. Theses people were tired, and most were just a little bit dirty. This was the working class, the folks who slaved all day at their jobs. They were just beginning to go home.

Blake knew this time of day very well. It was when she would start preparing for her patrols. Because of this, the faunus felt a surge of energy enter her body. She had not yet managed to shake her late night habits. Working during the day as demanded by the Beacon proved difficult for her at times.

The inn which had been chosen for them to stay at was the one closest to Mason and Lyle, the workplace of their stakeout target. Since, like most working folk he would spend most of his time there, it made sense to stay as close as possible. The establishment was a quaint little converted two-story house just on the edge of the middle-class district. It was obviously meant for individuals of modest income, featuring little in the way of opulence. To avoid suspicion the girls stayed in two separate rooms, divided by teams. Blake didn't really like this. She was certain the doorman thought she and Yang were a romantic couple. While the blonde had her redeeming qualities, she was not exactly Blake's type. Blake wasn't even sure she _had_ a type to begin with.

An informant had been sent ahead of the girls, maybe by twenty minutes or so. His job had been to gather whatever information the Beacon agents in Vale had on Lyle. Team RWBY had expected to wait for a while until this critical intelligence was delivered. Imagine the shock of Ruby and Weiss when they found a folder waiting on one of their beds.

They quickly called over the other pair and together the four women poured over the information. It wasn't much—bank accounts, random observations, a home address—but it was all they needed. More specifically, it was all _Blake_ needed. She'd located more illusive prey on far less information. This would be a walk in the park. She committed all the relevant details to memory almost immediately and made for the door.

"Wait, where are you going?" Ruby stopped her. Blake turned with a hand on the doorknob.

"To take the first watch," she answered simply. "We need eyes on him at all times, and I'm kinda used to working like this." She gestured lazily toward the ceiling to indicate the time of day.

"Okay," Ruby allowed. "You know the signals, right?"

"I know," Blake confirmed. "Flare my Aura once when he moves and then again when he stops, flare twice whenever he speaks to anyone, and flicker if I think we've found our man." It was quite simple. Ruby nodded, satisfied the faunus understood.

"I'll be coming to replace you in six hours, so just signal back when you feel my Aura." Informed Yang. Blake nodded agreement. All preparation finished, she slipped out the door, closing it behind her.

As soon as Blake had left the building, she took to the rooftops. Bounding along them was honestly the most efficient way to travel. The sun had completely disappeared from the sky, but it was not yet dark out. Her window was short. Lyle would most likely be leaving his place of work, if he hadn't departed already. She had to move fast.

As Blake sped toward the address of Mason and Lyle, she counted her odd mix of strengths and weaknesses for this case. On the one hand, she knew Vale as well as her own reflection. She could find her way anywhere in the city blindfolded. On the other, she'd never seen this Lyle before, and only had descriptions from Ruby and Weiss to go on. Vale was full of people. Not knowing exactly who she was looking for could be a huge detriment.

The faunus leapt from house to house, working her way quickly toward her target's most probable location. Another strength of hers was location. Mason and Lyle lay at bottom of a dead end. Lyle didn't seem like the kind to travel the alleyways. So, that gave him only one route of escape. Blake could pin him like a mouse. ...Or, not. Damn Yang and her cat jokes.

Many assorted folks passed by on the street below Blake. This was not an area she was especially familiar with. Most crime took place either in the slums or nearer the higher-end side of town. Since the middle-class provided little in terms of palpable advantage, it was largely left alone. That's not to say she hadn't spent many a night there, it just wasn't as often a stop on her way.

None of the people Blake saw at first matched the description of her target. They were far too modest and physically fit. By the way Weiss and Ruby told it, this Lyle would stand out in a crowd. Several minutes more of searching proved them right. A little more than halfway down the dead end and on the other side of the street, Blake saw a heavyset fellow wearing deep blue silks far too fine for a man of his station. There was no possible way he could ever be anyone other than Lyle.

Blake flared her Aura—a quick rise and fall of her power—to let her teammates know she made contact. Aura sensing was one of the many useful tricks taught by the Beacon to all its members. It had many applications from quick and clear communication in the field, to keeping track of enemies in combat. But it was risky. Detecting whom an individual Aura belonged to was almost impossible, so false alarms were a constant danger amongst the less vigilant. Anyone trained in the detection of Aura could also pick up on these signals, possibly giving away one's position or drawing the attention of less desirable types. Still, the Beacon had supposedly been using it for decades. It clearly worked, or else something better would have already been developed.

Blake followed her charge all the way to his home, a tall tenement not far from the middle-class district, one of those fancy apartments which residents bought instead of rented. Again, no one in his line of work would ever be able to afford such luxurious accommodations. It was no surprise the Beacon had flagged Lyle as a possible person of interest years before.

Lyle entered the building. Blake quickly crossed the street and ascended to another rooftop, careful to leave a one plot buffer between her and the tenement. She quickly moved around to the back of the building. It had no fire escapes, and no back door. The only way in and out was through the front entrance. That made watching over Lyle in a space where she could not actually see him exponentially easier. Unless he jumped from a window—a scenario Blake found rather unlikely—he could only exit the building one way. Blake returned to her perch across the street and watched the door. It would be a long night. She should have brought snacks.

…

Four days. That was how long the members of team RWBY stayed cooped up in Vale. Four days of constantly watching a fat old man live his boring life. Four days of absolutely nothing. Lyle was quite possibly the most dull person in all of Vale. All he did was get up in the morning and go to work until the sun went down and he returned home. He never spoke to anyone, never went out to a restaurant or even shopped. He simply walked from home, to work, and back again.

It was entirely possible he'd already met with his contact Mercury in the time it took the girls to leave and subsequently return to Vale. This was in the backs of each girl's mind whenever they took over the stakeout shift. However, the opposite possibility was also quite present. They needed to be absolutely sure one way or the other before abandoning the quest.

So, that was how Weiss found herself sitting bored to death on the edge of a rooftop. Her shift had just started a little over an hour ago. Each of the girls had their own method of observing. She and Blake preferred elevation. Yang stuck to the shadows and alleyways, always peering around a corner or hiding in a crowd. Ruby, on the other hand... it was a miracle she hadn't bee caught yet. Probably best to leave it at that. She was a great fighter, but stealth was not the younger girl's strong suit.

Weiss held her chin up with one hand, elbow supported on her knee. Absently, she kicked her left foot back and forth. She didn't even care that her dress was getting dirty from sitting on the roof. The heiress gazed at the building within which Mason and Lyle operated. A few people had gone in, and Weiss indicated their presence with an Aura flare, but they all left shortly. She had no way of knowing which business they visited, but it didn't really matter. Any one of them could be this Mercury they so sought after. Weiss doubted it, though. These folks looked depressed, not evil.

She wasn't really paying attention. At least, not as much as she should. This was monotonous, to put it lightly. People came and went. They all looked rather similar; different variations on the same motif. None were remarkable in any way. These were the common folk, the most average and boring group in the world. She wasn't paying attention, or else she would have noticed him right away.

The Ice Queen's eyes didn't fall on him until he was already almost halfway out of the dead end. His silks stood out in the crowd. Lyle was on the move. Weiss shot to her feet. A flare of her Aura signaled of his motion. This was certainly a shift in the norm. She was instantly suspicious, and was sure her comrades felt the same way.

As Lyle exited the dead end, Weiss followed his every move. He hung a left and continued on down the main street. Where could he be going? What was he up to? Weiss had seen his secretary leave the building plenty of times. This was the first instance in four days of Lyle performing an errand of his own. For such a sleazy slimeball, this could only be bad.

The fat old man led his follower through quite a nice little tour of Vale. They mostly kept to the sizable middle-class district, but dipped into more exorbitant areas once or twice. Weiss was quite surprised. She didn't think his pudgy little legs were capable of traveling such distance. It was far enough away, Weiss had completely lost track of her exact location. She'd never seen this part of the city before.

Eventually, they made their way to what looked like the poor section of Vale. This was not a part Weiss had ever visited, nor had she any inclination to do so. A lady had to have standards, after all. But, obligation called her to make exceptions, to go outside her comfort zone. Whatever task Lyle was up to, it made sense for him to conduct it in such an undesirable part of town.

Deep into the bowels of society did they travel, Lyle unaware he was even being tailed. Weiss had heard stories of Vale's slum district. It looked almost exactly as she'd imagined. Rundown buildings, narrow streets, filthy people wearing clothes in various states of disrepair. How could people live like this? She felt no sympathy for them. Everyone had a role to play in society. Some people were simply destined to be peasants. It was the job of the wealthy to tolerate them, and nothing more.

But none of that mattered at the moment. Social politics was the last thing on her mind. She was much more concerned with the action of her charge. Lyle had gone down an alley and into an abandoned looking building. Although, it was hard to tell whether or not anyone actually lived there. Most houses were more or less the same to her.

Weiss let out her Aura again, indicating Lyle had stopped. She slipped down to street level and infiltrated the alley. She couldn't see what was happening inside the building. This could be the break they needed. She had to acquire if not eyes, then at least ears on the situation.

To that end, the heiress slid along the outside of the building, careful to avoid windows and gaps in the walls. There were thankfully very few other people around, although she had a feeling none of them would raise the alarm at the sight of someone sneaking through the shadows. This was probably a common occurrence for them.

Around the back of the building, Weiss heard a couple of hushed voices. This caused her to pick up the pace in a desperate attempt to hear what they were saying. She walked as fast as possible while still remaining completely silent. The soft ground aided in muffling her steps. When she made it over to the far corner, she decided to stop and peer through a crack in the boards. Her heart leapt.

A sweating and fidgety Lyle brandied quick words with a cool and collected young man. He had gray hair, an oddity for someone his age. He was dressed in simple, sleek black clothes—a long-sleeved shirt and tight trousers. The young man wore metal bracers on his wrist. The bottoms of his short boots had steel soles clamped on. They couldn't possibly offer any sort of protection. Weiss wondered what they could ever be for? Any further curiosity of hers halted, however, when he spoke up.

"Just give me the short version, Lyle," he said in a slippery tone. "Why _exactly_ don't you have my money?"

"It was all a ruse, a trap!" Lyle blurted, padding with a white cloth at the moisture on his brow. "These two girls posed as Marquee family soldiers, only they weren't. They threatened to throw me in jail if I didn't give them the information they wanted."

"And were they the same ones who freed the young lord?" The young man continued to question.

"No, they said someone else was doing that. I never saw the other group." Explained Lyle. The young man didn't respond, throwing the former into a tizzy. "Please, Mercury, you have to understand. I didn't want to betray you, but I can't go to jail! Can you imagine what those savages would do to a man like me? Please don't be mad." Lyle all but got down on his knees to beg.

_Mercury!_ At the sound of his name, Weiss flickered her Aura. This was the man they were looking for. It would take her teammates some time to reach the location, however. She needed to keep Mercury in the area. Fighting him inside would not be a good idea, most likely. Weiss continued to watch, waiting for a better opportunity to strike.

"Now, now. Calm down, Lyle. I'm not mad," Mercury said.

"You're not?" Lyle ceased his blubbering and instead raised an eyebrow.

"Of course not." Mercury stepped closer. "I'm a fellow thief. I understand these things happen. No, it's my employer you have to worry about." He flashed a venomous grin. What little color Lyle had left vacated his face. "I'm afraid she may take a little more convincing."

"We must be able to strike a deal." Lyle argued in a rush to save his skin. "What do you want? I'll do anything."

"I want the money, Lyle. Plain and simple. I don't really care whose pocket it comes out of."

"What? But I don't have that kind of gold, and even if I did—" Lyle began. Mercury cut him off sharply.

"I think we both know that's not true," he menaced. "How much is that fancy flat of yours worth? I'm sure it would fetch a pretty penny."

"You can't be serious..." Lyle breathed.

"Oh, I'm _dead_ serious. If you don't come up with the money, then you will be, too." Mercury's words put a look of sheer horror on Lyle's face. "Think about it, alright?"

The young man turned and began to exit the room, leaving a stunned and terrified Lyle in his wake. The moment he moved, Weiss sprang into action. She quickly ascended to the top of the next building over. Mercury was fast. When Weiss turned around to try and get a good view of the abandoned house, Mercury was already stepping out the door.

They were still in an alley. It was too narrow. Weiss followed him, watching as he departed onto the main street. Lyle was nowhere to be found. The old fool probably still stood frozen in place. He truly was a spineless coward.

Mercury made his way down the street, walking with a slow, confident swagger. Weiss knew she couldn't let him get too far. She ran up ahead of him, leaping to the next house. With an open palm she activated the Dust in Myrtenaster fired an ice crystal at his feet. It embedded in the patchy cobblestone only a few inches from his boot. Mercury stopped suddenly in place and followed the trajectory. His eyes landed on Weiss as she jumped down to street level, landing a few feet away. He smiled as she drew her weapon.

"I knew I wouldn't get far," he looked her in the eye. "That Aura trick of yours is neat. I never would've thought of it." He complimented. Weiss had plenty of questions, but that comment astonished her.

"You can sense Auras?" She asked stupidly.

"Don't be so surprised," Mercury said. When Weiss did not respond, he continued speaking. "So, to what do I owe the pleasure?"

"My superiors want to have a word with you." Weiss assumed a fighting stance. "I'm here to collect."

"You're employers?" Mercury gave her an amused look. "Hang on a minute," he leaned closer, squinting for a better look. "White hair, blue eyes, kind of a bitch... you're a Schnee!" He deduced with an affirmative snap of his fingers. Again, he surprised Weiss. "And, judging by your height, you must be _Weiss_ Schnee."

"You got me," Weiss said with a sigh. No point in hiding the truth. It didn't really matter whether or not he knew her name. He would probably figure it out eventually anyway, working for a company so well-connected as the White Fang.

"It's an honor to meet you, m'Lady." Mercury dipped into a brief and condescending bow. "So, who hired you?"

"No one _hired _me," Weiss insisted in an attempt to hide her true motivations. Besides, it wasn't completely untrue.

"Don't play dumb with me, Ice Queen." Mercury called her bluff. "I don't think I'm important enough to warrant a personal inquiry from the Schnee family, so either you took up a mercenary contract or... oh, this is rich." His expression changed from curious to definite. "You joined the Beacon, didn't you?"

Weiss wished she could have seen her face in that moment, because she must have looked absolutely baffled. Never in her wildest dreams would she have imagined Mercury would name the Beacon, and do so as it if made perfect sense. He laughed at her expense.

"No, no, don't say anything. You're face says it all." He went serious. "So, the Beacon finally got smart, eh? Took you long enough. A bit too late, although I'm sure you'll learn about that soon enough." Mercury threatened. Weiss was through listening to him. She pointed her blade, changing her stance into one more open and offensive.

"Do you plan on talking me to death?" She mocked.

"No, I guess not." Mercury shrugged. "I'm assuming you're not alone? Can you hold out until your friends arrive, princess?" He assumed his own fighting posture, standing sideways with hands low, knees slightly bent, feet even with his shoulders. This would be fun.

**Notes: I don't know why things have been so crazy at work recently. This week looks like it will be just as busy as the last two. I may not have much time to write, and I'm very sorry. I'll try to get as much done as I can, but the next chapter may not go up for another week. **

**On a different note, it's my birthday tomorrow. A review would be the perfect gift.**


	24. Showdown

Weiss dashed forward, seeking to end this battle before it even began. She lunged, aiming straight for Mercury's heart. He undoubtedly had a powerful Aura, and a strike at his vitals would do the most damage. But Mercury was far too fast for that. He blocked with his left gauntlet and dragged Myrtenaster's point way off-center. This move forced Weiss to overextend. Mercury attempted to pull her into a punch. Utilizing all of her agility She quickly changed direction and managed to take a small step backward, just barely far enough to dodge the blow. She could not avoid his follow-up kick, however. The tip of his boot collided square with her jaw.

Weiss reeled back. In that moment, she knew what the metal soles on her opponent's boots were for. It's a wonder her jaw was not broken. Mercury gave a satisfied smirk and continued his offensive. He slid forward into a pair of kicks, striking once high and then low. Weiss backpedaled, avoiding both. Mercury rotated the same foot upward and then sharply down into a vicious axe kick. Again, he missed.

The heiress retaliated by cutting up and then immediately down as fast as she could. Mercury blocked both with his gauntlets. He kicked for her left arm but was blocked. Mercury jumped from one foot to the other and struck at her opposite side, but again Weiss stopped him. He repeated the transition, but this time threw his foot out straight up. Weiss dodged with a leap back.

She assumed a defensive posture, sword held at a moderate angle in front of her. Mercury took this as a challenge, a threat. He attempted to level a strong push kick at his foe. Instead, his foot met with a glyph as if it were a solid wall. Before he could recover, Weiss repulsed him. He slid along the ground in a low crouch, lest he lose his balance.

Weiss attempted to push her advantage. She propelled herself forward with a glyph. Mercury had not yet gotten to his feet. When she was an appropriate distance away, Weiss projected another glyph onto the ground. She flew up into the air, flipping as she went. The heiress sailed over Mercury's head, striking down at him three times in rapid succession. He parried all three with his bracers.

That little flip maneuver allowed Weiss to land facing her enemy, but she was vulnerable when she came down. Mercury, on the other hand, was ready to go. He spun about with a sweep kick. Weiss did not have time to react. Both feet were knocked out from underneath her and she fell flat on her back in a most undignified manner. Mercury completed his twirl and switched flawlessly into an attack. He tried to hammer his heel down into the felled woman. She rolled out of the way at the last second and scrambled to her feet.

They squared off for a moment. The two came together in a series of quick blows. Neither of them managed to get off more than one strike at a time. Each hit was met with a parry and ripost. For a time they were evenly matched, but it did not last long. Mercury was stronger, wilder. He gained the advantage over the more precise heiress. He brought his foot back and thrust it hard into her chest.

The impact was more powerful than it maybe should have been. Weiss sailed back thought the air. The kick pushed all the breath from her lungs. She struggled to breathe again as she flew. Weiss tumbled along the ground when she hit. She came to a stop several feet away from the gray-haired man.

Painfully, she pushed herself up onto all fours. That _really_ hurt. Her Aura had dropped considerably, maybe to about half strength. This current attack pattern wasn't working. She needed a new strategy, or else this fight would not turn out in her favor.

"Weiss!" Came suddenly a familiar and innocent voice from the east. Despite herself, Weiss smiled. New strategy, indeed.

Ruby burst into the street, followed by the rest of her team. She crouched next to Weiss, supporting her partner with both hands on her shoulders. At the same time Blake and Yang formed up in front of them, blocking Mercury's path with weapons drawn.

"I'm fine, just help me up," Weiss said to her partner. Ruby hauled the heiress to her feet. Together, they fell in at Blake's right. Ruby drew her long weapon as quickly as she could. At the sight of them, Mercury dropped his stance. He practically oozed confidence.

"Oh, good. The cavalry's here," he said. Mercury craned his neck west and called into the air. "Alright, Em! Bring it out!" When he turned back to the utterly baffled team RWBY, the smug expression on his face was almost unbearable.

"Oh, come now," he mocked. "Did you _honestly_ think a coward like Lyle would keep his mouth shut?" A loud crash resonated from an alley to the west. "He told us all about your little _rescue mission_." Another crash, followed by a guttural grunt. "You good-guy types are nothing if not predictable. We knew you'd try to use Lyle as the bait in a trap for me, so we set up a little trap of our own." He gestured toward the disturbing noises. "Ladies, I'd like you to meet Boris."

As if on queue, two figures entered the street. One of them was a cute girl with dark skin and mint green hair, but the other one—Boris—caused much more concern. Led on a chain held by the girl, he burst through the alley, tearing about the dilapidated remains of a house as if it were made of tinder.

Horrified. That was the purest way to describe how team RWBY felt. The monster which stood before them was some abominable bastardization of a man. He was tall, right around seven feet. His swollen head was mostly bald save fore a few patches of spiky, coarse black hair. The right hemisphere of his face was twisted and riddled with small tumors. The left was covered with the protective bone plate indicative of the Grimm, red eyes and all.

His entire body bulged with muscles so massive his skin barely contained them. Boris's right arm was mostly normal, seeming proportionate with the rest of his body. In this hand he clutched a gigantic labrys war axe, the kind used to smash open wooden gates. His left was barely recognizable as an arm at all. It was almost long enough to scrape against the ground and easily three times thicker than the opposite appendage. Every inch of it was covered by thick bone plates. Black hairs sprung up in the gaps between plates. His fingers fused together into a sharp point.

Boris looked at team RWBY with as close to a sneer as he could manage. He hit his axe against the ground and uttered a terrifying roar. He seemed angry, like it was his entire mission in life to kill the four of them. It clearly intended to fight.

The two parties stood off momentarily. Mercury assumed a fighting posture. The green-haired girl drew one of her two weapons, a sickle with a light crossbow molded atop the haft. The members of team RWBY froze in place, completely unable to comprehend the scene. They could all see, however, that a conflict was unavoidable.

"What do we do, Ruby?" Yang begged of her sister and leader.

"What are you asking _me_ for?" Ruby shot back. She quickly surveyed the scenario. "Uh... okay. Blake, you're with me. Weiss, you take the girl. Yang, Mercury. Hang back until we can draw that _thing_ away just a bit." She let the plan sink in for a second. It wasn't much, but it was the best she had. "Sound good?"

"I don't think anyone has any better ideas," Weiss barked. Blake and Yang nodded.

"Alright," Ruby confirmed. "Yang, I'll also need you to free it before we get there." She gave out her last order. The blonde nodded.

The girls reformed their lines. Yang faced off with Mercury. Weiss locked eyes with the green-haired girl. Blake and Ruby stood a few feet apart from them, ready to charge at Boris the monster. Anticipation welled within all four of them. None knew how the next few moments would play out, but it would surely be a battle for the ages.

With an affirmative nod from the younger girl, Blake and Ruby ran full-force toward the monster. Yang let loose a fat blast from her semblance, extra large to make sure she wouldn't miss. The projectile collided squarely with the chain connecting Boris to his wrangler. It snapped and the beast was free. Boris noticed the lack of tension at his neck almost immediately. He charged to meet the two women who opposed him. He moved surprisingly fast in a hobbled sort of way, favoring his armored side.

Ruby let Blake take the lead. The latter produced several afterimages both behind and in front of herself. Ruby ran between them. The two sides rushed toward an imminent collision. When her first illusion was about to reach Boris, Blake scattered them. Flash clones of herself skittered off in every which direction. Boris was overwhelmed as he tried to follow all of them at once. Whenever one got too close he would swing his axe at it, but he never connected with the correct Blake.

In reality, the faunus had slipped cleanly around his left side. Ruby utilized the images as cover and did the same. Boris was far too distracted to notice. When they were both safely behind him, Blake spun and quickly fired a bolt from her pistol crossbow. The projectile bit into the monster's meaty shoulder. It did little more than bother him, but it did get his attention.

Blake let her copies fade. Free of distraction, Boris zeroed in on his aggressors. He barreled after them, carelessly leaving his masters behind. Blake and Ruby led him down the street, looking to separate him from the rest of their team.

"No, Boris!" The green-haired girl shouted. "Bad... monster!

"It's alright, Emerald," Mercury said calmly. "We don't need him to handle these two."

"Yeah, you're right." Emerald turned her attentions to the remaining Beacon fighters, specifically Weiss. She drew her other weapon. Yang squared her shoulders. Weiss raised her sword. The atmosphere ebbed with tension. At its behest, both sides pushed forward in nearly the same breath.

...

Ruby turned about, not missing a beat. She kicked on her semblance to rush straight for Boris at super speed. Rose petals trailed behind her as she raised her scythe in preparation for a clean strike. Her efforts failed spectacularly. Boris swatted her away like a fly with his left arm. Ruby flew across the street and thankfully down an alley. Only a flutter of red indicated her previous presence.

Smart enough to learn from her leader's failure, Blake stood her ground. She allowed Boris to rush toward her, standing with a wide-open and arrogant posture. This only fueled the bloodlust of Boris. He growled and lowered his shoulders, charging even faster than before. His heavy steps thundered against the cobblestones. Blake let him come closer and closer, biding her time until opportunity presented itself.

At the last possible second, she produced an afterimage and dashed off to her right. Boris had failed to learn from the last time she fooled him in this way. He took the bait, bringing his axe down hard upon the illusion. Blake slipped behind him, slashing wildly as she went. Her weapons had little effect, barely even scratching his tough skin.

Boris spun around and attempted to smash his axe straight down through her. Blake stepped to the side to dodge. The monster quickly transitioned into a horizontal combination, striking left and then right. In this, he displayed incredible strength. He swung the massive instrument around as if it weighted nothing at all. Blake did not know how well her Aura would protect her from such a mighty blow. She reminded herself to not get hit.

Blake tried to leap forward and strike down at him with both her swords, but Boris put up his armored arm and stopped her. It was actually laughable how little damage her attack did against the impenetrable bone. The only upside was she managed to get past the head of his axe. She would learn, however, this was not an advantage. Boris dropped his arm and turned into a quick shoulder check before Blake could react. She flew back a few feet and skipped off the ground once before landing on her side. Boris may have been simple, but he understood combat very well. Blake would _not _ underestimate again.

Boris attempted to run down his fallen foe and finish the job, but he didn't get far. A crescent blade sprouted from his chest and he cried out in agony. The metal pierced his heart. Ruby extracted her weapon from his flesh, spraying blood briefly in its absence. Boris slumped but remained standing. Ruby stood relaxed with her armament in hand. The fight was over, or so she thought. Both her and Blake looked on in shock and horror at the sight before them.

The muscle and sinew around where Ruby's blade had pierced Boris came back together. The two halves reconnected, possessed by some unnatural life of their own. The skin closed up. The seam of the wound disappeared. Boris was completely healed. No evidence of any harm remained. He looked as though nothing had happened at all.

The monster reacted to his new skin quickly. He rounded on Ruby and attempted to stab her with his armored appendage. The younger girl leapt back. Boris shattered a stone as his arm came down to imbed in the ground. He followed this up by hacking vertically with his axe. Again, Ruby avoided his attack, but this time she retaliated. Ruby struck at his forearm. Her blade sliced clean through skin and bone.

Boris reeled back. Vibrant red sprayed from his stub. He let out an agonized scream. Ruby started to close in on him and deal another blow, but she stopped dead in her tracks. As soon as it had been rent, Boris's severed hand grew back. It returned within a few seconds, growing from his nub. He flexed his new hand, just to test out the joints. With a smug sneer, he recovered his axe and raised it against the utterly stunned Ruby.

…

A double semblance blast sent Mercury flying back into an alleyway. He landed about halfway down flat on his back. Yang tailed after her prey, entering the narrow space a second later. Mercury rose to his feet, an angered glare in his eyes. He spit on the ground in disgust.

"You got lucky," he jeered. "It won't happen again."

"We'll see about that," Yang returned confidently. She messed with the leather straps of her gauntlets. After a second the left fell to the ground, followed by the right. She raised her now bare hands.

"You're disarming yourself?" Mercury said with a raised eyebrow.

"My orders are to take you alive." Yang absently massaged her left wrist. "Can't chance killing you."

Mercury shrugged. "It's your funeral. But, I guess in the interest of fairness..." He knelt down and undid the ties on his greaves, discarding the implements. "This should be interesting."

Both assumed fighting stances, but each had a unique way of going about it. Yang kept her left hand low in defense. Her right she raised offensively, even with her face. Mercury let both of his arms hang low, keeping his palms open. He bounded in short little hops from foot to foot. Yang watched his motion with a scowl. Those kinds of jumpy stances always got on her nerves. She intended to make him stand still.

The blonde opened the bout. She punched right high, left low, and the right high again. Mercury blocked all three with his forearms. He jabbed at her face, but this attack was never meant to hit. Instead, it only created distance between himself and Yang as she stepped back out of the way. Mercury raised his foot and kicked twice rapidly at her head. Yang blocked, pushing each strike away. Mercury changed his balance and brought his other foot down in an axe kick.

Yang sidestepped and raised an uppercut into Mercury's exposed chin. The gray-haired boy took a step back to recover from the blow. Yang tried to push her advantage with a right hook. Mercury parried, using his wrist to force her off center. While Yang attempted to regain her balance he put a short hook kick into her back. Yang stumbled and fell to one knee.

She sneered and rounded on Mercury in an attempt to land a vicious overhand punch against him. The attack was slow and sloppy. She knew it would never connect even before it reached the target. Mercury deflected hit harmlessly and in the same motion kicked at Yang's knee. Her foot slid out behind her. Mercury nailed his off balance opponent with a push kick to her torso.

Yang collided with the wall behind her. Lights swam through her vision. Mercury closed in and tried for a similar attack, but Yang was too quick. She popped off the wall and slid behind him. His sole met only brick. Yang palmed the back of his head and slammed his face into the wall.

Yang ground his head into the brick, attempting to squeeze the consciousness right out of him, but Mercury proved a bit too resilient for that. She brought him back in preparation for a second slam. Mercury braced himself against the wall with his palms. They struggled. Yang used both hands to try and break his guard. Mercury pushed back desperately to free himself. But he was not the stronger.

Mercury released his grip. His head accelerated toward another brutal impact. In the same motion, however, he dipped down. Yang could not both push him forward and fight his downward momentum at the same time. He slipped right out of her fingers. Mercury slid out behind Yang and whipped a spin kick into her temple. She uprooted and landed on her side a few feet away.

The blonde bounced right back up onto her feet, but she'd lost far too much momentum. Mercury was on her the moment she regained balance. Yang crossed her arms to stop an incoming kick from colliding with her face. With the same foot Mercury struck low and hit her in the hip. This opened up her face for a crescent kick. Mercury followed through and switched feet and dug his toe into her stomach. Yang bent over from the impact. Mercury leapt into a flashy backflip. The bridge of his right foot smacked squarely into Yang's nose.

She soared through the dingy atmosphere and landed with an audible thud. Her head whipped back into the dirt. The edges of her vision blurred. Every muscle in her body tensed up. She squinted. Don't pass out. Do anything, just remain conscious. He wasn't better than her. She could beat him! All she needed to do was stay awake.

Gradually, the black tunnel vision receded. As soon as she realized she could once again see, Yang jumped up on her feet. Her head throbbed and she was barely able to keep her balance, but she had to fight on. The mission depended on it. Her opponent, however was not interested. He stood just outside striking distance, shaking his head.

"I'm disappointed, Blondie," he mocked. "I thought you had more fight in you than that."

That was the last straw. Yang had had enough of this cocky bastard. Her eyes turned red. Fire engulfed her hair. She let out a feral shriek and charged at him, fist in the air.

…

Blake and Ruby took turns beating up on Boris. Although his large size gave him a considerable advantage in speed and strength, it did convey one major weakness. He had huge blind spots, and couldn't possibly watch all of them at once. The girls quite quickly figured this out. They attacked in tandem, sandwiching him between alternating blows. When he would turn to counter one attack, another would come from the other side.

It would have worked wonders, except for the monster's healing factor. He was absolutely impossible to damage. Any cuts, punctures, and bruises they managed to inflict upon him sealed up instantly. They were getting nowhere fast, and no one was more conscious of this than Boris. He elected a patient strategy. The constant barrage of attacks hurt, but they were inconsequential to him. His enemies were tiring. All he needed was to wait for the slightest mistake.

Ruby pulled back for a powerful downward hack, and Boris found his moment. The speed of his sudden retaliation surprised the younger girl. He thrust forward with his bony arm. The tip hit Ruby dead center mass. It did not pierce her skin, however. Her Aura protected her, just barely. She sailed across the street and smacked full force into a building.

Boris smiled. That was one enemy dealt with, and possibly down for the count. Just one more left. He turned to Blake. The prospect of taking on the monster by herself was not exactly preferable. He was simply too strong. She could negate his range advantage, though. Blake drew her kusarigama and put some distance between herself and the beast before her.

Blake began a punishing torrent of strikes. She lashed out with her chain sickle, attacking again and again. Each slice was too fast for the eye to see, too unpredictable to effectively counter. Try as he might, Boris could not help but fall prey to her onslaught. He flinched and crumbled under the weight of her offense. The wounds on his body did not even have time to heal properly. Their effect compounded in a combination of pain and confusion the monster simply couldn't deal with.

He cowered into a ball. It was pathetic. Blake almost felt bad for him. He had clearly been a man at one point. Whether or not he asked to be turned into such an abomination was inconsequential at this point. The past couldn't be undone. The most she could do for him now was to allow a merciful death.

The monster's strength was failing. Adrenaline took over. His reactions now were purely fight or flight, raw and instinctual. He swatted randomly at the lacerating whip which beset upon him. Blake could tell by how sloppy and inconsistent his movements were. Not long now. She continued to assault him.

Boris lashed out with his armored hand at exactly the same time as Blake rotated down her weapon. The ribbon wrapped around his appendage. Normally, this wouldn't have been a problem, but this time it did not rebound. Blake gave it a tug, but it didn't move. The sickle was stuck between the plates of Boris's arm.

The monster also realized something was wrong. The unrelenting punishment had stopped. He looked up at his foe. Blake struggled to dislodge her weapon, heaving with all her might, but to no avail. Try as she might, she simply couldn't free the sickle. In a last ditch effort she released the ribbon altogether, but even this provided little relief. Much of its length was still wrapped around her arms. In a panic she tried to unravel herself. Boris simply smiled.

He gave his arm a great heave, all of his weight behind the pull. Ripples ran down the length of the ribbon. Blake froze in place as the wave approached her. She drew her katana and tried to cut the ribbon, but it was far too late. The wave reached her.

Blake was completely yanked off her feet. She rocketed toward the giant and imposing figure of Boris. As she approached, the monster hefted his axe, swinging it hard as he could upward. It made savage contact with the faunus girl. While Blake's Aura did an admirable job stopping the axe, it was not enough. Her earlier prediction was right. It could not protect her completely from such a blow. The blade bit into her midsection.

Blake's face contorted into a silent scream. The air rushed from her lungs. Pain overtook every inch of her. Boris completed his strike and Blake flew back. The only thing which stopped her was the ribbon still attached to the monster's arm. She reached its apex and it pulled her to the ground. She landed on her side in a sullen heap. Blood leaked from the gash at her middle, running red the channels in the cobblestone.

Boris cut the ribbon and began to walk toward his crippled and utterly beaten foe. He grinned at her immobile form. The prospect of a kill excited him. But it would not be, not yet. Ruby dashed in. She stood between him and his prey. The younger girl hefted her scythe awkwardly. Her breaths were labored. She was out of Aura, completely unprotected. This would be her final stand.

The monster laughed, a deep and disgusting rasp. The little girl would not even be a threat to him. Fruit flies provided a greater challenge. He approached, puffing out his chest to make himself seem even more imposing. They would know who beat them on this day.

Ruby gulped audibly. This fight was not over. She could beat him. She had to. But she was afraid. Her hands trembled despite their grip on the scythe. There was no hope. She couldn't win, not on her own. Faced with the prospect of death, all she could do was stand her ground. The history books would show Ruby Rose went down fighting for what she believed in.

Suddenly, and from out of nowhere, a small crossbow bolt embedded in the monster's eye. Boris reeled in shock and agony. Ruby's head whipped around behind her. Blake had somehow found the strength to prop herself up on one elbow and fire a shot from her pistol crossbow. She locked eyes with Ruby, and her strength gave out. She collapsed to once again lay in a helpless and bloody pile.

Rage filled within Ruby. Wrath she'd never known stung at her eyes. She turned to Boris, who still writhed from the bolt in his pupil. Ruby let out a painful scream. Unleashing her semblance she charged the monster, the source of her fury. Rose petals and tears trailed behind her.

She raised her scythe high. Ruby jumped a few inches into the air. She pushed off Boris's bony arm for added height and momentum. The younger girl brought her weapon down. It sliced clean through the monster's cranium. Ruby sailed over his figure and landed a few feet behind him. His head split open, each side splaying in a show of blood and brains held in place by tough skin. Boris fell backward with with a sickening heavy thud. Blood poured from his neck. No longer did the monster draw breath. Never again would he hurt one of Ruby's friends.

…

Weiss soared backward at a low angle through air. She hit the ground and slid a few feet. Wearily, she pushed herself up onto one knee. Blood leaked from a shallow cut on her right arm. There was the beginning of a bad bruise on her neck. The grip on her sword was weak. She had not fared well in the fight against Emerald.

A second later there came an audible impact and a yell. Yang flew out of the alley headfirst. She tumbled once along the stones and landed face down. Her fire extinguished, eyes turned back to their normal purple. Mercury emerged from the alley, puffing but clearly better off. Yang stood up slowly. She helped the heiress to her feet.

Ruby ran over to them, a broken and barely conscious Blake in her arms. Red still dripped from her scythe. Yang and Weiss both gave their bleeding teammate looks of unfathomable concern. Ruby looked over her team. None of them were in fighting condition. She gazed toward the enemy. Mercury could still go for quite a while, and Emerald wasn't even breathing hard. Team RWBY had no chance.

"Blake's hurt, we need to go," Ruby ordered. Weiss fell in, but Yang did not. Anger scrawled across her face. She squared her shoulders and raised her fists. To her, the battle was not over, not while she could still move. "YANG!" Ruby implored desperately.

At the urgency in her dear sister's voice, Yang snapped to her senses. She took a deep breath and lowered her fists. She got in formation behind Ruby. Together the sped off down the street, away from the fight, away from their clear betters.

Emerald started after them. This was the perfect chance to eliminate some of the opposition.

"Leave them, Emerald," Mercury snapped hastily, holding out his hand. "Let them tell their leaders about what happened here."

She didn't like it, but Emerald obeyed. In some situations, fear was a greater weapon than any implement fashioned by mortal smiths. Soon, the world would fear the White Fang.

**Notes:** **Well, _that_ was long. This is far and away my longest fight scene to date, including when I broke that same record in an earlier chapter. I'm looking for genuine feedback on this one, especially for the beginning Weiss vs. Mercury part. I've mentioned this before, but something about Weiss's glyphs just baffles me. I'd love to get some solid opinions and maybe ideas about how I could improve, not just with Weiss, but my choreography as a whole. **


	25. Aftermath

Ruby ran through the backstreets of Vale, caring not for the occasional strange stares she acquired from those she passed by. Far too weak to risk using her super speed, she ran as fast as her legs could manage. In her arms nestled Blake, broken and bloody, fighting with all her might to remain conscious. It was a battle she could not continue for long.

Escape; the thing which drove her flight. There were other, more important matters to attend, but they all hinged on the amount of distance she could put between herself and her enemies. The weight of the previous conflict still weighed fresh on her mind. The grotesque figure called Boris, his overwhelming strength and durability, the sight of his axe burying into Blake's torso. Ruby relived these moments again and again with every step.

Blake shifted in her arms. Her hand slumped off the edge to hang loose in the breeze. She was fading fast. This only inspired Ruby to run even faster. As team leader, this was her fault. She was responsible for her team. It was her direction which got Blake hurt, her acceptance of the mission which put them all in this mess in the first place. Everything that happened up until this point rested firmly upon her shoulders. It was a burden only she could bear.

Ruby turned a corner and continued on down the new street. This path would eventually lead her back to the middle-class district of the city, where this all began. Having spent so much time in Vale, Ruby had learned its basic layout. It was all based on a grid, with different financial sections expanding north. Ruby had no idea where she was going exactly, but to get out of the slums seemed a logical first step.

"Ruby, wait!" A voice called out from behind her. She recognized it as her sister Yang, but the sound meant nothing to her, so single-mindedly focused was she on her goal. "Ruby, stop!" Came the voice again. "They're not following us. Blake's bleeding out. We need to stop!"

The mention of the girl clutched firmly in her grasp brought Ruby to her senses. She whipped her head around to see behind her. Indeed their aggressors—Mercury and Emerald—did not give pursuit. Pure rage briefly flashed through her mind. Those two were the cause of all this, their little _trap_. They deserved as much blame as Ruby thought she herself did.

Ruby slowed to a stop, practically skidding with urgency. She gently deposited Blake in the mouth of a narrow alley. The faunus made zero motion as she was placed on the cold hard ground. Her eyes were not even half open. Ruby doubted she could actually see out the slits.

Her teammates gathered 'round. Ruby was in a state of absolute panic. She'd never seen anyone she cared about so brutally mangled. She didn't know what to do. Weiss maintained a level head, but just barely. The world would know the wrath of the Schnee family if anything happened to her friend. Yang, however, had a different approach to the situation. Her days as a soldier prepared her for this level of violence. She'd seen it before. But her composure was only skin deep. On the inside, she boiled with concern and anger. She would burn the entire world to the ground if it mean stopping the ones responsible for this. Blake was her partner. No one in the world cared for her more than she did, including Blake herself.

"We need to cauterize the wound," Yang said, kneeling down, "stop the bleeding. Weiss, make a fire." She ordered. Without a moment's hesitation, the heiress emptied a red Dust crystal from her Myrtenaster and lit it ablaze. At the same time Yang gingerly rolled back Blake's shirt just enough to get a clear picture of the ghastly red streak. The wound was deep and still bubbled over with dark blood.

Yang held out her hand to Ruby and made a grasping motion. "Scythe," she ordered. Ruby submitted her weapon. Other than Blake's cleaver, the scythe was the only implement on hand with a wide enough blade to properly cover the wound. The scythe was solid steel, an excellent conductor. Yang did not know what the cleaver was made out of, so it was not the safe choice.

The blonde began to move the metal blade evenly over the fire. She made broad passes through the flames, making sure no part of the surface was left colder than the rest. If the blade did not heat evenly, then a second treatment would have to be administered. She didn't want to put her friend through that.

The process was slow, much more so than Blake had time for. She continued to bleed while Yang worked, barely alert of the world around her. Cognition quickly slipped away from her. The eyes which had been only slits closed completely. Her muscles did not go limp, but that was the next step.

"Yang!" Ruby called out in a panic over the state of her faunus companion. She took Blake's hand and felt her forehead, as if that would actually do anything. They were out of time. Yang removed the scythe from the fire.

"Okay, it should be hot enough." She went around to Blake's left side and held the weapon at an awkward angle just above her stomach. "I'm _really_ sorry, Blake." Yang winced. Ruby looked away.

She pressed the hot metal flat against the wound. Blake's eyes shot open. Never in her life had Ruby heard such a frightening and piercing scream. Blake arched her back and cried out with all her might at the sudden, unbearable agony. Her grip on Ruby's hand tightened to a vice, threatening to crush the younger girl's fingers, but Ruby endured. It was likely the only sense of comfort Blake could draw upon. A broken hand was a small price to pay.

Although it only lasted a few seconds, it felt like a lifetime. Yang removed the blade. Blake's cries died down as the immediate pain receded, although the burn most likely still hurt. Her body and mind gave out. Blake closed her eyes. The strength left her body.

"Blake!" shouted Ruby. She propped up the girl's head and shook her shoulder in a desperate attempt to rouse her. Yang dropped the scythe and moved around to put two fingers on Blake's neck. The telltale beats of blood pumping through veins. She let a short sigh.

"She's okay, just unconscious." The blonde stood. All three girls turned their attention to the wound. It was mutilated and burned, swollen at the edges, but no longer did it seep.

"Will she be okay?" Ruby asked with tears in her voice.

"I don't know," answered Yang. "I couldn't see the extent of the internal damage. She needs a healer, now."

The girls looked around in all different directions, unsure of where to go. None of them knew Vale well enough to provide for Blake the care she required. It was oddly quiet. Without the fighting, running, or screaming, the city was rather calm. Almost disturbingly so, really. As well, there were few other people around to make noise.

But this silence was a godsend. Through the still atmosphere echoed the sound of hooves rhythmically plodding against cobblestones. Around the corner a moment later appeared a goods peddler. He sat at the helm of a mostly empty wooden cart pulled by a small bay horse. He was most likely on his way back from a nearby market. Yang honed in on him. She ran out and blocked his path, waving her arms.

"Hey!" She called. The peddler stopped. At first he was annoyed, but when he looked around he saw an injured girl and blood on the ground. Irritation turned instantly to concerned confused.

"Are there any Aura healers in town?" Yang asked once she had the man's attention.

"There's one, in the Palace District," the man said. "Load her up, I'll take you there." At his order, Weiss and Ruby gathered up Blake and took her around to the back of the cart.

"Thank you," Yang said with a deep bow. "You're a good man."

"It's what any decent person would do." The peddler politely deflect her platitudes. He patted the bench seat next to him and Yang hopped on.

Both of them looked to the back of the cart. Weiss and Ruby were just beginning to load Blake on the vehicle, but there were many empty baskets in the way. Yang climbed from her seat and began to move the baskets out of the way, staking them up randomly. She cleared just enough space for the other two girls to drop her partner in. Free of their package, Ruby and Weiss also jumped into the back. They sat on the edges. Yang turned back to the peddler.

"Okay, go!" She commanded. The peddler slapped his reins and the cart lurched into motion. The horse was traveling fast as it could while pulling all the extra weight around. Yang sat back down next to the peddler and settled in for the journey. She prayed they could make it in time.

…

Mercury and Emerald stood in the street where their battle had just occurred. They looked over the dead and mangled body of Boris. Blood had ceased draining from the split halves of his head. The pool underneath him was dark red and thick, still fresh. It would start to dry soon in the sun, however.

Each of the pair had their own reaction to the body. In the case of Mercury, it was more of a complete non-reaction. His face bore no expression whatsoever. Instead, his silver eyes simply gazed down upon Boris with stoic contempt. Emerald, on the other hand, couldn't decide exactly how she felt. It was easy to be disgusted, but part of her regretted the decision to bring him along.

"They sure did a number on him, didn't they?" She commented.

"Don't tell me you actually feel bad for him," criticized Mercury.

"I don't know, it's weird." Emerald thought for a moment. "I've killed plenty of people, but being responsible for the death of someone is completely different. You know what I mean?"

"No," Mercury said flatly. "He volunteered for the procedure. He knew the risks. At least, he used to. This was a proof of concept, nothing more. We proved the concept."

"He did quite a lot of damage to that black and white girl," Emerald agreed. "Got her in one hit. She'll probably die."

"I think Cinder will be impressed with the results," mused Mercury. There was a short silence between them as they stared down at Boris. Already a few flies were flocking to his corpse. He'd be a mess of eggs and maggots in a few day's time. Emerald released a deep sigh.

"We should probably get him off the street," she said.

"I know," Mercury breathed. "I just don't feel like it." He sighed and shook his head. "Come on, then."

He walked around the left of Boris. Emerald went right. The former bent down and grabbed the monster's left ankle, cupping it in both hands to support the size and weight. Emerald took a second to adjust her hair before doing the same with his right. Together they let out a great heave, but were out of sync. Boris only moved a few inches. They stopped, briefly catching their breath. Another heave produced similar results.

"No, stop," called Mercury. "This isn't working." Both he and Emeald ceased their efforts. She looked at him impatiently. "We need to go together. Ready? On three." The two of them focused forward, ready to pull. "One... two... _three!_"

One last time they yanked back on the dead body of Boris. This time, however, they were perfectly timed. While the work was still not easy, Boris slid steadily along the cobblestones. Blood streaked across the street as they pulled him, a stark reminder of the violence which had transpired only several minutes prior.

"See? That wasn't so hard," joked Mercury.

"I swear to God, I will make you pull him yourself." Emerald bit back. Mercury had the peace of mind to keep his mouth shut after that. Not many could effectively curtail him in such a way. Emerald was one of the only people in the world he let tell him what to do, even if he still didn't listen most of the time.

…

The peddler pulled his cart up to a rather unassuming structure in the palace—or high-class—district of Vale. It looked more or less like any other house in the area, cleanly colored, two stories, and taller than it was wide with a sloped roof.

"This is the place," he said with a sense of urgency. Without missing a beat Yang hopped down from her place next to him. She went around the back of the cart to help with unloading Blake to find her teammates were already on the job. Weiss was on the ground. Ruby held the faunus girl in her arms, preparing herself for the leap onto the ground. Yang moved in on the ground close to where her sister would land, ready to support if she wavered.

Seeing the others had this under control, Weiss attended to the other most immediate matter. She went around to the driver's side of the cart. From out of nowhere, the heiress produced a fat coin purse. She offered it to the peddler, who looked very surprised by this turn of events.

"For getting us here so quickly," she said, giving the purse a shake. The coins inside rattled, indicating they were—in fact—real. The peddler hesitated. The prospect of gold could turn any man against himself, but he gathered the courage to decline. He waved his hand dismissively.

"I'm afraid not, lass," he said firmly. "You'll need that to pay for your friend's treatment. Aura healing isn't cheap."

The man could not know he addressed the richest girl in Atlas. Still, Weiss found his nobility admirable. She gave a respectful nod and hid the purse away. Turning to the building, she was just in time to see Ruby burst through the doors, most likely breaking them in the process.

"We need help!" She shouted at the top of her lungs into the space.

The room immediately inside the door was a waiting area. A selection of chairs lined each wall. A young secretary sat behind a desk at the far end. Four other people waited for treatment. All five individuals turned to Ruby with shock when she entered. Any other time she would have been embarrassed at the sudden attention, but there were for more pressing issues on her mind.

The secretary stood up. "Grandma!" She called toward a door behind her. "We have an emergency!"

Seconds later, a woman appeared through the door. She was very thin and quite advanced in her years. The hair which had once been blonde fell in coarse waves around her shoulders. Her skin was pulled tight against her bones. Upon seeing the three girls standing in the doorway—and the one covered in dried blood—her expression changed immediately from confusion to shock.

"Bring her this way," instructed the old doctor. She turned back through the door. Ruby, Weiss, and Yang followed her.

The doorway let out immediately into a long hallway. Private rooms broke up the plain wooden walls at regular intervals. The doors were closed on the first few, indicating they were occupied. Halfway through the space, the doctor ducked into a quarters to the right. The girls followed.

"Set her on the bed," the doctor ordered. Ruby did as she was told, gently setting Blake down on the mattress. While she did, the doctor put on a pair of protective cloth gloves. She began to poke around the wound, inspecting every inch of it with skilled fingers. "What happened?"

"We were jumped by three men," Yang said quickly, before the other two could interject. "We tried to fight them off, but one of them had an axe and he hit Bla—our friend. We got away and hitched a ride with a goods peddler. He said you're an Aura healer." She came up with a believable cover story right there on the spot. It wasn't too far from the truth, either.

"You were right to cauterize the wound," commended the doctor, "but I can't see any of the internal damage. I'll need to try and get a feel for it."

The doctor removed her gloves and set them on the bed beside Blake. She held her hands a few inches away from the faunus girl's wound. Her hands acquired a pale yellow glow, the color of her Aura. A few seconds later, this shade outlined Blake. The doctor closed her eyes and concentrated.

To the girls, this moment took on a strange sense of awe. They could feel how the doctor's Aura interacted with Blake's own. They were... _dancing_. The doctor directed her strength in accurate, swooping motions all over Blake's body. The latter's Aura countered every motion. At first, the two were at odds. Blake rejected the outsider as a threat. But, as the seconds wore on, she realized the invader was a help, not a hindrance. The two melded together, forming until it was impossible to tell where one began and the other ended. They were connected. They were one.

"Attagirl," the doctor whispered. She raised her head to the other members of team RWBY. "This will take a long time. You may want to wait outside."

The girls breifly exchanged glances.

"I think we'll stay right here," Ruby said determinedly. The doctor smiled and returned to her work.

"Very well."

Although the doctor respected the girls' dedication to their friend, and was more than happy to allow them to stay for a time, she ended up kicking them out after not even a half hour passed. Her work of Aura healing was not simple in the least bit. Blake's injuries were more extensive than she'd previously imagined. She needed to focus, and the only way to do that was to send the girls away.

For what it's worth, she felt awful about doing so. The way Ruby wilted when told to leave nearly broke her heart. But it was a necessary action. In the end, they would appreciate the rescue of their dear friend, even if none of them were able to witness it firsthand.

Disappointed, the girls made their way to the waiting room. For a time, they sat together anxiously, but Yang couldn't stand it very long. There were simply too many people in the room. She was worried sick, and the thick atmosphere of breath and medication made it even worse. She had to get away, go somewhere more secluded to collect her thoughts. The blonde dismissed herself.

Unsure of where to go, and figuring it would be rude to head upstairs, she instead went through the doors behind the secretary's desk. Yang quickly discovered the door immediately to her left did not lead to a patient care room, but instead a small corridor. On the other end she found more rooms, but these were different. They were darker and more barren, featuring only a soft bed and a few chairs. These were most likely recovery rooms.

At the end of this hall was what appeared to be a lounge area. There was a rectangular table outfitted with four chairs, a couple separate sitting areas, and even a sink for running water. Due to its proximity to the supposed recovery rooms, Yang assumed this space was meant for family and friends waiting for their loved ones to awaken.

None of that really mattered to Yang, though. She was alone. There weren't any other people around. The rooms were all empty. It was quiet. This was the absolutely perfect place for her to sit for a while. Besides, she was _technically_ waiting for a friend to recover. She probably belonged here.

Yang pulled out a chair at the table and collapsed in it. The blonde hadn't realized how truly tired she was until she allowed herself to relax. Waves of exhaustion hit her the moment she made contact with the seat. Yang rubbed her eyes and slumped forward, chin resting against the cool wooden tabletop.

A very large part of her felt responsible for all this; Blake's injuries, the mission failure, _everything_. She was Blake's partner. It was her job to protect the faunus, and she failed. She was the one who fought Mercury. It should have been her who took him in, but instead he played around with her until he got bored, and knocked her across the street. Although Weiss's injuries were minor, she only sustained them because Yang wasn't fast enough to save her.

And Ruby—poor, sweet, innocent, Ruby—she'd had to pick up the slack for her deadbeat of a sister. The murder of Boris, Yang knew it weighed heavy on her heart. Even though he was more monster than man, he still bore the traits of a human being. To Ruby, that was more than enough. Killing him must have been hard for her.

Yang should have been around to do it. She should have knocked Mercury out and then swung around to finish off Boris. But that didn't happen. Instead, they were cowering at some hospital in Vale, desperately waiting to see if Blake would be okay, and it was all her fault.

For almost two hours, Yang stewed in self pity. She never moved from her spot. Her breaths were slow and deep, the kind of contemplation which only comes from deep a deep sense of depression. Many things ran through her head, many uncertain outcomes and questions without answers. One thing she could be sure of, though? She didn't deserve to be a member of the Beacon. Not after today.

"I thought I'd find you here." A sudden voice snapped Yang harshly out of her dreamland. She turned around and saw the doctor standing in the doorway. "Your friends said you needed to be alone. This place is always pretty empty."

Yang stood up and walked over to the doctor. "How is she? Is she okay?" The blonde asked frantically The doctor put up her hand in the universal sign for _stop._ Yang closed her mouth,

"She's stable." The doctor dropped her hand. "It took a while, and the damage was worse than I thought, but she should be just fine. Her body just needs to replenish all the blood it lost."

"And how long will that take?"

"A few days, at most," answered the doctor. Yang remained silent, but that answer didn't really satisfy her. They didn't _have_ a few days. It was amazing their enemies hadn't found them yet. Hanging around a hospital for that amount of time would definitely get them caught.

The doctor seemed to miss this reaction, and didn't comment on it if she had. Instead, the old woman wen around to the head of the table and sat. Yang figured she should probably do the same. She went for her previous chair.

"So," began the doctor nonchalantly, "how'd the mission go?"

These words stopped Yang dead in her tracks. She gave the doctor a stunned look, eyes wide with unfathomable surprise. The metaphorical gears in her head worked overtime as she struggled to comprehend that simple question. Instinct took over.

"I don't know what you're talking about..." She slowly sank into her seat.

"No need to hide it, Yang," the doctor said politely, giving Yang further pause. She'd never revealed her name. "I've been detecting all your Auras for a few days, now." She tossed a coin to Yang, who caught it. The blonde inspected the item. Her jaw dropped. It was a silver medallion with the crossed axes framed by brambles. "We look after our own."

"You're a member of the Beacon?" Yang would have loved to see the look on her face. It was probably a hilarious mix of bewilderment and pure disbelief.

"For sixty-eight years, yes," confirmed the doctor with a nod. "I started when I was about your age."

"I don't believe it..." Yang breathed.

"We aren't all fighters, Yang," the doctor said. "We have agents everywhere, in all walks of life."

"I know that," Yang clarified. "I just didn't think I'd encounter another member in the field like this." She felt stupid for admitting it. Of _course_ there were Beacon agents permanently in Vale. That only made sense.

"So, how'd the mission go?" The doctor reiterated her previous question. Solemnly, Yang looked down.

"Horrible," she muttered. "We were supposed to capture this White Fang higher-up, but it didn't work out. He had this monster with him, some terrible abomination I can't even _begin_ to describe. He split us up, and he got away, and it's all my fault." All at once, Yang confessed everything which had been bothering her. It felt kind of good, in a way.

"And just how is it all your fault?" The doctor said.

"Because I let him get away!" Yang couldn't keep the edge from her voice. "I was the one who fought him, and I was the one who couldn't beat him. Blake got hurt because I wasn't there to protect her. Ruby had to kill someone. Everything that went wrong is my fault."

"You're the only one who feels that way," the doctor said quickly. Yang perked up her head, looking at the old woman with confusion once more. "I talked to your friends. Weiss blames herself for not taking out your target before you even got there. Ruby is absolutely distraught one of her teammates got hurt on her watch. When a mission fails, it is the downfall of an entire team, not just one person."

Yang pondered this for a moment. She never stopped to think about how her teammates felt. Being the first one on the scene, it made sense for Weiss to assume she carried the burden of failure. Ruby fought alongside Blake. Of course she would blame herself for allowing her to fall. What the doctor said was true. None of them were singularly at fault, but this realization couldn't comfort her.

"That doesn't make me feel any better." Yang looked down again.

"It wasn't supposed to," said the doctor flatly. "All of us have failed our fair share of missions. The important thing is to learn from it. Now you know what your enemy is capable of, you can prepare for it next time. You won't underestimate them again."

That also didn't help. Yang sank further into her seat with an audible groan.

"But, wallowing down here isn't good for you. Trust me, I'm a doctor." She winked. "Your friends are upstairs. Why don't you go up there and be with them? I'm sure they're worried about you, too."

"Yeah, alright." Yang stood and made for the exit. Any other time she would have wondered why she allowed a complete stranger to order her around, but her spirits were simply too broken to put up much of a fight.

The blonde slipped into the lobby and turned up the stairs without ceremony. She never wavered from her current task, never looked out onto the floor to see if anyone still occupied their seats in anticipation of treatment. She simply didn't care. She was tired.

About halfway up tot he second floor, Yang realized she'd forgotten to inquire exactly where the rest of her team was. She sighed, resigning herself to the search. Poking around someone's house would be awkward, to say the least.

The stairs let out into the living room. It was finely decorated with a couch, coffee table, breakfast nook, and chandelier all reminiscent of a high-class yet non-noble citizen. Yang paused in this room for a moment. Where should she go next? The blonde sniffed the air. Ruby always smelled faintly of roses for quite a while after using her semblance. All Yang had to do was follow her nose.

And that's _exactly_ what she did. Yang's search did not lead her far, though. She probably could have found the place without any assistance. A doorway several feet from the staircase on her right led into the kitchen. Here, yang found her teammates. Weiss and Ruby sat on stools around an island counter. They were not alone. A man accompanied them, standing just away from the island. His presence absolutely dumbfounded Yang. Of all the people she expected to find, this man never even crossed her mind as a possibility.

"What?" She stammered. "I don't..." Weiss facepalmed.

"Greetings, Ms. Xiao Long." King Ozpin addressed her with a bow of his head.

**Notes:** **I'll admit, I didn't have the _slightest_ idea how to end this one. If it seems a bit rushed, that's why. I don't think this was my best work.**

**On a different note, ARK: Survival Evolved released this week and I've been playing it like a madman. Who knows, perhaps my next RWBY fic will be some sort of dinosaurs AU?**


	26. A Port in the Storm

Yang stood in awe, mouth ungraciously agape. Perhaps exhaustion tainted her perception. Maybe she just wasn't paying attention. No matter the reason, she never would have expected to see King Ozpin in this place standing just a few feet in front of her. His presence shocked her into silence. A wave of emotions washed over her all at once. Surprise, joy, anxiety, all played host within her head. But, in the back of her mind, one feeling took precedence. Fear. Yang was afraid. The last thing she wanted to do was face the King—the leader of her order—so soon after team RWBY's shambles of a mission. She hadn't even had time to formulate a sound excuse!

"What are you doing here?" She blurted out. Yang instantly turned a bright shade of red. She'd just raised her voice at the King! Ozpin didn't seem to mind, though. He proceeded, as level headed as ever.

"I heard about you're little scuffle," he began. "I came to check on Ms. Belladonna, and to collect your reports while the moment is still fresh."

"You already know about that?" Yang raised an eyebrow. "It was only a few hours ago."

"And this is my city. I have eyes and ears everywhere." There was a certain twinge to Ozpin's words, almost as if they veiled a threat. "But, I've already explained all of that to your teammates. Why don't you have a seat?"

Ozpin gestured toward an open chair at the table. Yang hesitated, sparing a glance for her friends. They wore sympathetic looks. All three of them knew what was coming. None looked forward to it. With an internal sigh, Yang took the seat which was offered to her.

"Good," Ozpin said. "Now, the guard who reported to me wasn't very _specific_. He said something about a monster and a woman with green hair, but not much else. Would you care to fill in the blanks?"

Again, there was hesitation, but among all of the girls this time. They shared apprehensive glances. The King had an imposing presence. None of them really wanted to recount the tail of their botched mission, not to the man who ultimately controlled their fate within the Beacon. This was where Ruby's immense courage took over. As team leader, it was her duty to direct her team when in dangerous, harrowing situations. This was _certainly_ unsafe territory.

Under the leadership of Ruby Rose, the girls began to tell the story of their mission. Each of them interjected their own details at regular intervals. Weiss was the first to do so, detailing her chase of Mercury and the spying on him and Lyle. She mostly skipped over her duel with Mercury, though. It wasn't overly important to the story, and made her look bad.

Yang started off on the description of Boris. To her, it seemed as though this portion took up the majority of their tale. The girls spoke in jumbled turns, eager to add on their own little details and observations about the monster. As the only one who actually fought him, Ruby contributed perhaps the most important bits of intelligence. She revealed the tactics her and Blake employed to pin Boris, the strategy of quick strikes which almost brought him down, and the way she finally ended him.

Ozpin listened to every word with quiet stoicism. He met the eyes of each girl as she talked, devouring every phrase, soaking in knowledge like a sponge. The intensity of his regard gave Ruby pause more than once. She was not accustomed to being the center of attention. To garner such attention from royalty made it even worse. Even the infallible Weiss shrunk before long under his gaze. Yang held up the best, but only because she was used to dealing with powerful men back during her old job.

When all was said and done, and everything had been explained, the blonde found herself rather surprised at just how short it all was. It seemed like so much had happened, yet the story didn't even consume twenty minutes. Try as she might, Yang couldn't think of any more details to add. It was a complete narrative. Ozpin had all the relevant information and then some.

There was a brief silence after the girls finished spinning their yarn. Ozpin stroked his chin contemplatively and stared down at the table. He rarely showed this much expression, but it was clear the King plunged himself deep in thought. The girls were rather uncomfortable. They didn't know what to say or do. The three hadn't much interaction with the King. How did one act when alone with royalty? However, there was something the girls felt needed to be said.

"Um... Your Grace?" Ruby began tentatively. Ozpin looked up at her. She shied away slightly, but pressed on. "I hate to interrupt, but I think I speak for all of us when I say, we're sorry."

"You're sorry?" Ozpin raised an eyebrow.

"We failed the mission. You were counting on us to capture Mercury, but instead we ran away, and we're sorry." Ruby explained. All three girls lowered their eyes at almost the same instant. None could bear to look Ozpin in the eye. There was another pause, this one much more painful than the last, as Ozpin contemplated what Ruby had just said.

"I think _failed_ may be a bit too harsh a term," he said finally. Puzzled, the girls looked up at him. "Ultimately, your goal was to gather intelligence. While it's true you did not secure Mercury, you did—however—gain some vital information. The White Fang played their hand today. Had you not the resolve to retreat, we may have never learned about their plans until it was far too late."

At his words, the girls brightened. Naturally, none of them ever thought about it that way. They were too concerned with their perceived failure, they were blind to any other point of view. Now that Ozpin laid it out for them, it made perfect sense.

"Remember, girls. Sometimes mission success, and completing an objective, are two completely different things." Ozpin offered his final word on the matter. "Which, I suppose, brings me to my next point. Your enemies are still in the city, and I don't know what kind of resources they have with them. This hospital is far too exposed. You can't stay here."

It seemed as though the only thing the girls could do was marvel at their King. Once again, they weren't entirely sure how to respond.

"But, where would we go?" Yang asked slowly.

"The castle, naturally. It's the safest place in Vale." Ozpin said calmly. "I've already arranged transportation."

"What about Blake?" Weiss voiced the main concern of all the girls.

"The castle healing staff is more than capable, especially after the care she received here. Your friend will be in good hands."

From his tone, one thing became abundantly clear. Ozpin was not _asking._ No, this was a command from not only their ruler, but the commander of their organization. Faced with this fact, the members of team RWBY knew they were in no position to refuse. Besides, they probably wouldn't have, anyway. Ozpin made a good point. If they wanted Blake to be safe, then the best place to do that was from behind stone walls.

"Okay." Ruby spoke on behalf of her team. "Lead the way."

"That won't be necessary," Ozpin said. "Gather Ms. Belladonna and meet outside the building. There are two carriages waiting. The one in the back is yours." And with that, he departed.

Of all the things Ozpin had said to them so far, this was—by a long shot—the least confusing. His instructions were rather cut and dry, two simple steps and a point in the right direction. A surprise visit from a King and his wise words were rarities, things the girls hadn't expected or prepared for. Their minds didn't really know how to deal with them. A set of orders, however, they could manage well enough.

The members of team RWBY gathered themselves and exited the room, Ruby in the lead. Upon crossing the threshold, they found a man waiting for them. His attire made him instantly recognizable. A white and gold tabard with a gear on the chest over a set of steel plate, it was the same armor Yang wore when she was an elite member of the Patch guard. This man most likely was part of the Vale garrison, but all soldiers under direct service of the King wore the same few uniforms.

"Ms. Rose?" The man approached Ruby, inquiring as to her identity. Ruby nodded. "I've been asked to escort you to your carraige."

"I don't think we really need an escort..." Ruby said.

"A simple formality," explained the man, "for appearances sake."

"Oh, okay then," Ruby said brightly as she could.

"Right this way." The man made a flowing gesture and took off down the hall.

The girls followed behind him, allowing themselves to be led. It made sense for a guardsman to lead them out of the building. They were in soiree with the King, after all. Any less would be suspicious. In such a swanky area as the high-class district, suspicion was the last thing they needed.

They didn't go right outside, though. Their first stop was to the recovery rooms. Inside the second one on the right they found Blake. She appeared peacefully sleeping, and nothing more. If not for the torn shirt she still wore, it there would have been zero evidence of injury. Her wound was completely sealed. The skin came together as if it had never been there at all. There were no scars, nothing. Even the dried blood had been cleaned. The doctor did outstanding work.

Yang volunteered to carry Blake out. She made the excuse that, as the physically strongest, she should be the one to transport the faunus. In truth, she didn't really trust anyone else with the task. Her friends were both more than capable in a fight, but Blake was her partner, her _responsibility._ Blake would have probably done the same.

The art of delicacy was not lost on Yang. She moved with slow, sure motions to slide her arms underneath Blake. Her friend appeared fine, but she didn't want to take any chances. The faunus stirred not at her tender touch, nor when being lifted into the air. Yang took a moment to square herself. Dropping Blake now would not be good, especially right after she'd been fixed up.

With the knocked out girl firmly in good hands, the escort lead team RWBY out of the building. Upon entering into the waiting area, they found it totally barren. Even the secretary girl was gone. It had been completely cleared out in preparation for the king.

Although Ozpin most likely wanted to keep this little operation a secret, the scene which waited for them surprised Yang. Elite soldiers formed two columns, one in front of each carriage. They stretched all the way to the wall. This tactic would conceal them from view, but also could never go unnoticed. Yang wondered just how often displays like this transpired in Vale.

The girls followed their escort down the path to the rear-most carriage, the one closest to the door. The girls kept their heads on nervous swivels. This was all very strange to them. The escort opened the door and gestured for them to enter with a flourish, as if they were real ladies. Well, Weiss was, but that's beside the point.

Ruby and Weiss entered first, the former sliding up next to the grated window. The heiress assisted Yang in loading her partner into the vehicle, supporting her feet while Yang took her shoulders. Together, they laid Blake on the bench seat, but it was not large enough for Yang to sit as well. To solve this problem, Yang lifted up Blake's head and slid right in underneath. She placed her partner's head upon her closed legs, turning them into a pillow. Any other time, the sight of a peacefully sleeping Blake nestled into the comfort of Yang's lap would have been absolutely adorable.

When the four of them were all situated, the escort shut the door. His footsteps were barely audible, headed for the front of the carriage. He could be heard briefly conversing with the driver. Although none of the girls inside could understand him—and the only one who might have was unconscious—they assumed it was an order to advance when ready, because the vehicle lurched into motion.

For Ruby and Yang, this was a first. They'd never ridden in a carriage before. The blonde didn't like it one bit. It was dark and boring. She couldn't really see out the window for the metal grate which filled it. Her ears could barely pick up on anything that went on outside, save for the muffled clopping of horse's hooves. None of this was to mention the wooden design. A single spark would set the vehicle ablaze. Yang now understood why the White Fang tried to attack Weiss inside a carriage. The things were death traps.

In an attempt to distract herself from the tight quarters, Yang turned her attentions to the girl on her lap. Blake was so beautiful, and yet, so delicate. She never talked about her past, but Yang knew of her exploits as the Shadow. So much killing, such despair and reckless hatred, what kind of effect could it have left with her? All of it because of a simple fight for equality.

Unfair discrimination against the faunus had to stop, plain and simple. Most sensible individuals agreed on that. How exactly to come to this understanding however, was a major point of contention. While many lobbied for peace, some cried war. At first, a peaceful solution seemed the only logical course of action. However, as time dragged on and tempers flared, more faunus began to adopt extreme measures.

The White Fang did not start out as a violent organization. They were a large and outspoken advocate for peace. However, when their leader was assassinated, a new man took up the mantle. He was a vile and vindictive man. He hated humanity. Within only a few short years, the White Fang had turned into a terrorist organization with numbers and resources untold.

And that's where Blake entered the fray, give or take a few decades. Her crusade to take down the White Fang more or less on her own was admirable, but ultimately useless. Two people could only do so much. Blake must have known this, and yet she fought anyway. A fruitless battle which could not be avoided.

This passion, more than anything else, was what drew Yang to her. In a way, she felt like a protective older sister to the faunus girl, similar to the way she watched over Ruby. Theirs was a cherished friendship, the kind which could not be broken by time or adversity. Anyone who tried to hurt Blake would feel Yang's fire, starting with the White Fang.

But Yang needed not reflect upon any of this for very long. The journey was short. They must have been closer to the castle than she thought. After what felt like almost no time at all, the carriage ground to a halt.

Ruby was the first to react to this. She got up and took a step toward the door. A quick yank on her shoulder from Weiss brought her back down into her seat. She gave the heiress an accusatory look. Weiss returned this with a serious gaze. A moment later, a knock came at the door. Weiss got up and knocked back. The door opened, and the soldier from before—the one who escorted them—was waiting.

There was clearly an order to things, one that only an experienced noble Lady like Weiss would know about. Yang found this entire exchange entirely pointless. They were out in the open, riding in a giant target. Time was of the absolute essence. Such formality seemed out of place. She put up with it, but only because causing a fuss would only take longer.

Weiss and Ruby exited the carriage first. Before Yang could exit, there was the business of extracting Blake. Getting her in was rather easy, but out would doubtless prove much more difficult. Ruby moved into position directly in front of the door, arms out, ready to receive. Yang fed Blake's feet to her sister. She then placed her hands underneath Blake's armpits and lifted up. Slowly, she began to walk out. Weiss jumped in to help. She supported Blake from the right while Yang gingerly made her way down the steps. Thankfully, the escort did not try to assist. He was an unknown, not to be trusted. Yang would have broken his hand.

When all three girls were out of the carriage, Blake was passed off to Weiss as she was the only one with an empty set of hands. Yang would have liked to continue carrying her partner, but she trusted Weiss more than enough. Blake was—quite literally—in good hands.

After they'd situated themselves, the escort led them toward the fortress. They were across the lowered drawbridge, before the tall and imposing gray brick walls of the castle. Yang looked up but she could not see their summit, which spoke volumes of their craftsmanship. This castle was likely the reason Vale persisted as long as it had. Tall and strong, no army could ever hope to penetrate these walls. The blonde looked around, and noted the King's carriage was nowhere to be found.

Upon passing through the gate, newcomers immediately entered into the courtyard. A tall and ancient oak tree dominated the space, its limbs weathered but strong, a symbol of the enduring strength of Vale. Time may pass, and powers may change, but Vale would always remain.

Waiting for them there in the courtyard was not the King or one of his soldiers, like Yang had expected. Instead, three servants waited for them, one woman and two men. The latter two stood with a simple gurney between them. This was obviously intended for Blake. Weiss did not put her down, however. Instead, the three girls stopped before the servants. The woman approached and gave a deep bow.

"Welcome to Castle Vale," she said before rising. "I understand you've had a hard journey. I'm sure you want to rest. If you would, please, allow us to take your friend to the infirmary, I will show you to your rooms."

"We can take her ourselves," Ruby said without a moment's hesitation.

"As you wish," acknowledged the woman. She gestured to the men. They gathered up the gurney and exited left. "If you would follow me, please?" The woman said, turning right. Team RWBY exchanged glances before falling in behind her.

They followed the servant woman through a doorway in the east of the courtyard. It let out immediately into a tall and ornate corridor full of decorative tapestries, intricate stonework, and lit by tall windows. It stretched on into the distance, most likely all the way through this side of the castle. But, the end was not their destination. The servant led them down a narrow path not even a quarter of the way in.

The four of them were forced into a single-file line. The hall was not wide enough for them to stand abreast. Without even thinking, the members of team RWBY placed Weiss and her passenger Blake in the middle. As the most vulnerable, they presented the easiest target. As they walked, Yang hounded the servant with questions.

"So, exactly how much do you know about all of this?" She said.

"All of what?" Returend the servant politely.

"Us," clarified Yang. "Why we're here."

"I only know what the King's men told me." The woman collected her thoughts for a moment. "You four are private contractors hired by His Grace to track down a dangerous fugitive here in Vale, but it went south and your friend was injured. The King offered you asylum here. That's really all I've been told. I don't even know your names."

Internally, Yang breathed a sigh of relief at this explanation. It was not too far from the truth, and kept their true identities well hidden. Yang didn't doubt the woman had been fed a story. Instead, she wanted to know just how deep the lie went. She was thankful it wasn't too much of a tall tale.

The group went all the way to the end of the hall, but this one was much shorter than the previous. The servant woman took them through the last door on the right. This was their destination, the infirmary. There were surprisingly few people around. Only a few of the beds were occupied, and just one nurse was in attendance. In times of peace, few soldiers needed a doctor.

The girls followed their guide over to one of the first few cots on the left. The servant woman gestured for Weiss to place Blake upon the surface, which the latter did with great care. When she finished, the group stared down at the faunus for a moment. The girls wanted to make sure she was comfortable.

"As you can see, our accommodations are more than sufficient," the servant woman began, "and I can assure you we have the absolute best in medical staff. Your friend couldn't be in a better place." Her words hung in the air momentarily. Of course, the girls could not argue with her. "If you would like to see your rooms, I will gladly take you there."

"Yeah, alright," conceded Ruby. "That sounds good." She yawned, despite herself. It had been a long day. The servant turned for the exit and Ruby and Weiss began along with her, but Yang did not follow suit. Instead, she gently plopped down on the bed next to Blake. When she realized her sister was not following, Ruby turned back around. "Are you coming, Yang?"

"You two go on ahead," answered the blonde. "I'm gonna stay here for a bit."

"Okay," Ruby said. She walked away along with Weiss and their guide. Throughout that exchange and well after they were gone, Yang never took her eyes off the faunus. What the Aura healer had said was wrong. This was _her_ fault. She would never let Blake out of her sight again.

**Notes: The following is an important announcement. There comes a time during any project—and I think most writers can relate to this—where the gears just stop turning. At some point, the passion leaves. You get bored with what you're writing. Normally this would be when I give up on a project and move on to the next, but I've never put anything on the internet before. I've never had fans. I won't give up. **

**A friend of mine has a degree in English, and I was talking to him about this dilemma. He said he has the same problem. Whenever he reaches the point where the story becomes stale, he starts on something completely different: a new story with different themes, plot, and setting. This keeps him from getting tired of his previous work, and helps keep the creative juices flowing. **

**To me, this makes a lot of sense. Variety is the spice of life, after all. So, that's exactly what I'm gonna do. I haven't started on it yet, but I know what my next project will be. I will also be posting it here on . Expect it within the next week.**

**I love A World Divided. I'm positively enamored with the characters and the tale I'm telling with them. I will continue on it, but updates will be slower from here on out. The good news is I know exactly where I'm going with it, so there's little danger of writer's block. I just need something to reinvigorate myself, and I believe a secondary project is just the thing. I hope you all understand and will be patient with me. The only reason I'm continuing at all is because of each and every one of my lovely readers. **


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